How many goals does Cristiano Ronaldo need to reach 1,000?
Al Nassr star also became first pro footballer to score in 25 consecutive league seasons
Cristiano Ronaldo moved closer to the 1,000-goal milestone after scoring on his return to the Al Nassr squad as they cruised to a 4-0 victory over Al Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
The 41-year-old Portugal captain started the match on the bench, having missed Al Nassr’s opening league victory over Al Fateh and their King’s Cup win against Al Diriyah. He was introduced by new head coach Ange Postecoglou in the 62nd minute with Al Nassr already 3-0 ahead.
Abdulelah Al Amri, Angelo Gabriel and Joao Felix had put the visitors in control before Ronaldo added the finishing touch seven minutes from time.
Ronaldo expertly controlled a low cross from Aiman Yahya before firing a composed left-footed finish from eight yards to make it 4-0.
The goal was Ronaldo’s 977th at senior level, leaving him just 23 goals short of 1,000. It was also his 130th goal for Al Nassr since joining the Saudi club in December 2022.
Remarkable record
The strike also extended Ronaldo’s remarkable scoring record. He became the first professional footballer to score in 25 consecutive league seasons, surpassing the previous mark of 24 held by Swedish great Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ronaldo’s league scoring run began during the 2002-03 season with Sporting CP, and he has continued to find the net across spells in Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
