In the view of Premier League football legend, Gary Neville, Cristiano Ronaldo is unlikely to retire from football until he surpasses Pele’s goalscoring record, as he aspires to be recognized as the greatest footballer of all time.
During their time as teammates at Manchester United, Gary Neville observed Ronaldo’s tireless pursuit of perfection and believes that this obsession might lead him to continue playing into his 40s.
Ronaldo’s target to surpass Pele’s record stems from the Brazilian legend’s 1281 goals in 1363 games, a Guinness Book record, while Ronaldo has already scored over 700 goals, prompting Neville’s belief in Ronaldo’s determination.
In an interview with SkySports, Neville emphasized Ronaldo’s unwavering drive for greatness, stating, “He just wanted to be the very, very best in the world and it’s so important to him. It’s an obsession. Absolute obsession with scoring goals. Applying himself every single day, being the fittest he can possibly be. I think he’s lifted his professionalism every single year and progressed.
“Jamie (Carragher) mentioned before about James Milner wanting to play into his late 30s and 40s. I think he [Ronaldo] has a plan to go on and take over Pele’s record. I genuinely believe he wants to go on and beat Pele’s numbers.
“That’s where I think he’s at in his mind, he wants to be the greatest of all time, that is his sole purpose, understanding that along the way if he is the greatest of all time, the teams that he plays for will win trophies and be successful.”