Juventus Chief Speaks Out on Cristiano Ronaldo Retirement Rumours
By Max Cooper
Juventus' sporting director Fabio Paratici has firmly denied claims that Cristiano Ronaldo could end his career any time soon.
Ronaldo fuelled talk of a possible early exit from football after hitting his 700th career goal in Portugal's defeat to Ukraine, with some inferring from his comments after the game that he may walk away from the sport in order to focus on other commitments in the near future.
However, Paratici is adamant that the Portuguese star is happy in Turin and will remain at the club for at least another three years, as reported by the Daily Star.
He said: "Ronaldo is very focused on his goals as well as his own personal objectives as he is the Golden Ball candidate again.
"I do not think he can leave at the end of this season and I doubt he will leave at the end of the next one.
"At the moment I am sure of one thing, we have a contract. We are very happy with him and he is happy with Juventus."
Paratici's comments were seconded by Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes, who told TuttoSport, as reported by Football Italia, that the ex-Real Madrid star's best years are still ahead of him - even backing his client to top Pele's famous goals record.
Mendes is quoted as saying: “His numbers don’t lie and light up the overwhelming way Cristiano Ronaldo shatters records, which elevate him to the category of best player in the history of football, with a big difference compared to the second [best] for all he achieved with the different clubs he represented, whether in England, Spain or now in Italy and also with the Portuguese national team.
“The fact is that with Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal have already played in three Finals, winning two of them.
“Cristiano has reached the remarkable milestone of 700 goals, but I have no doubt that he’ll surpass Pele as the best scorer in football history, and he’ll do it with Juventus.
“After all, 68 goals aren’t a lot for this extraordinary Cristiano Ronaldo, are they? It’s also because I’m convinced that his best is yet to come.”
After Ronaldo bagged his 700th career goal during Portugal's defeat to Ukraine in their Euro 2020 qualifying match on Monday evening, he is closing in on the all-time international goals record held by Ali Daei.
The Iranian forward scored a staggering 109 goals for his country, whilst Ronaldo is second in the list with 95, and looks increasingly likely to clinch the record before his illustrious career ends.