Portuguese soccer superstar Cron, 38, has quietly locked in his retirement moment. According to Spanish media outlet Cadena COPE, the soccer guru plans to maintain his competitive status by extending his contract with Saudi Arabia rivals Ainas until early 2027. He will wave goodbye to professional soccer after completing his 2026 World Cup campaign, when he will turn 41 years old. This means that Cron will have the last chance to win the World Cup in his career, trying to realize the dream of "the perfect king".
Cron moved to Ainas in January this year after leaving Manchester United in a move that caused a furore in the football world. The 2 1/2 year contract signed by both sides expires in the summer of 2025, but there is still a 1 year window for the World Cup. If Cron opted to leave, it was feared that no club would be willing to offer him a high salary. Therefore, Cron has decided to take a steady approach and extend his contract with Ainas until early 2027 to ensure a seamless career to the 2026 World Cup. It is reported that Cron has expressed his willingness to extend his contract to the senior management of Ainas.
Since joining Ainas, Crown has performed heroically on the field, scoring 25 goals and contributing 8 assists in 30 appearances, greatly boosting the attention of the Saudi League and attracting stars such as Nima and Binschmar to the gold rush. Given Saudi Arabia's interest in bidding to host the 2034 World Cup, it is also hoped that Cron will remain in the region for a longer period of time to increase the chances of a successful bid. It is believed that the Ainas side will also be happy to continue their relationship with Cron.
Cron's career has reaped major honors in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, UEFA, UEFA Cup, UEFA Europa League, but only lacks a World Cup title. This is one of the reasons why he is considered inferior to his arch-rival Mez. Cron has always been confident and he hopes to experience the joy of winning a World Cup once before he retires. He has said, "I have always shown that I can play consistently and aspire to win the World Cup. Even if some people think I can't do it, I will give it my all and move towards my goal."
