UEFA has announced that Cristiano Ronaldo will be honoured with a special award from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin on Thursday. It will celebrate Ronaldo’s extraordinary contributions to the world’s most prestigious club competition – UEFA Champions League, where he has set remarkable records over an illustrious 18-year career.
🚨🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: "It's very difficult to think that I will be a manager one day".
"In my mind, I'm not considering to be the head coach of any football team. I don't even think about it".
"Probably I see my future doing things out of football", told NOW. pic.twitter.com/YKP34RlQ1L
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 27, 2024
The ceremony to honour Ronaldo will take place during the inaugural 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 36-team league phase draw, scheduled for Thursday, August 29, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Throughout his career with Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, Ronaldo has scored an impressive 140 goals in 183 Champions League appearances. The achievement places him 11 goals ahead of Lionel Messi and 46 goals clear of Robert Lewandowski, making him the top scorer in the history of the competition. Ronaldo also holds the record for most goals during a single Champions League campaign, as he managed to score 17 goals during the 2013/14 season.
While preparing to receive this distinguished honour, the Portuguese legend also shared insights into his future plans. CR7 expressed uncertainty about when he might retire, suggesting it could be in two or three years. However, he hinted that he might retire at his current club – Al Nassr, emphasizing his happiness there and his satisfaction with living in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo also reflected on life beyond his playing career, dismissing the idea of becoming a football manager. He mentioned that he does not see himself coaching any team and is instead considering opportunities outside the world of football for his post-retirement future.