Ronaldo Nears History With 979 Career Goals: A Great Legend

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a strong header in Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League match against Abha on Wednesday, bringing him closer to the 1,000-goal milestone.

In the 22nd minute, the 41-year-old Portuguese forward broke the impasse by rising above his marker to meet Angelo’s corner close to the six-yard box. He then headed firmly past Abha goalkeeper Donovan Leon and into the far post.

Ronaldo scored his 132nd goal for Al Nassr since joining the Saudi team and his third in five games during the 2026–2027 Saudi Pro League season.

Against recently promoted Abha, Al Nassr had dominated possession and produced the more obvious opportunities, but they first had trouble converting their superiority. Prior to making his third attempt, Ronaldo had missed his first two attempts to hit the target.

More importantly, with the goal, Ronaldo’s official career total now stands at 979, just 21 goals shy of 1,000.

Since Ronaldo recently hinted that the 2026–2027 season might be his last as a professional football player, the milestone has drawn more attention. The question of whether he can reach the unprecedented number before ending his playing career has come back into focus as a result.

With three goals in five games this season, Ronaldo had a scoring average of 0.60 goals per game going into Wednesday’s game. He would need about 35 more games at that pace to score the 21 goals needed to reach 1,000.

Ronaldo might play for Portugal in the UEFA Nations League, and Al Nassr still has games in the Saudi Pro League, King’s Cup, and AFC Champions League Elite. This gives the seasoned forward over 40 possible games to reach the goal throughout the campaign.

Al Nassr’s lead in the Saudi Pro League standings was further reinforced by the goal, which brought the team level with Al Hilal at 15 points.

Congratulations to Cristiano Ronaldo on reaching his 979th career goal! His dedication, talent, and relentless pursuit of excellence continue to inspire fans around the world. Wishing him all the best as he chases that historic milestone—another testament to his extraordinary career and impact on the beautiful game.