Mourinho hopes for a different farewell when Ronaldo finally retires from football

Mourinho respects Ronaldo's international retirement but hopes his final exit from football comes under better circumstances, noting the 41-year-old still has club goals to pursue.

José Mourinho has commented on Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement from international football with Portugal, announced on Thursday. While respecting the decision, Mourinho emphasized that Ronaldo's career is far from over: the Al-Nassr forward remains under contract until June 2027 and is still chasing personal milestones, including reaching 1,000 career goals—he is currently 15 goals short of that target.

Mourinho expressed some regret about the circumstances of Ronaldo's international exit, which was overshadowed by controversy when the forward left Portugal's recent camp following a dispute with manager Jorge Jesus. "The only thing I wish is that when he retires as a player, when that day comes, it will be a different day than yesterday," Mourinho said.

The Real Madrid manager declined to speculate on Ronaldo's post-playing future, whether in coaching or other ventures, stating it is too early to discuss. Ronaldo has previously expressed interest in enjoying more leisure time, traveling, and playing padel after his playing career ends.