Cristiano Ronaldo Approaches 1,000 Goals as Al Nassr Tops Saudi Pro League
Cristiano Ronaldo moved within touching distance of yet another scarcely believable milestone as he dragged Al Nassr to a 2-1 win over Al Taawoun and back to the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
The 39-year-old struck the decisive blow in the 50th minute on Friday, a trademark, ruthless finish that pushed his career tally to 978 goals. The number now looming over every appearance is extraordinary: he is just 22 goals away from 1,000 in his professional career.
Record night for Ronaldo – again
This wasn’t just any winner. With that strike, Ronaldo became Al Nassr’s all-time leading scorer in the Saudi Pro League era, reaching 104 league goals and nudging past club favourite Mohammad Al Sahlawi, who had held the mark with 103.
He also pulled level with Al Sahlawi’s overall tally of 131 goals for the club across all competitions. Only one man now sits above him in the Al Nassr record books: Majed Abdullah, the iconic forward with 259 goals. That figure still looks distant, but Ronaldo has made a career out of chasing down numbers that once seemed untouchable.
On the night, he was far more than just the headline stat. Ronaldo played 80 minutes, posted an expected goals (xG) figure of 1.08 and completed 90% of his passes, knitting attacks together and constantly threatening the Al Taawoun back line.
Al Nassr’s streak rolls on
The game itself demanded resilience. Bassam Al Hurayji stunned the hosts with an opener in the 11th minute, punishing a sluggish start and briefly silencing the home crowd. Al Nassr needed a response, and they had to wait until deep into first-half stoppage time to find it.
In the fifth added minute before the break, Samuel Costa pounced to level the score at 1-1, a goal that changed the mood and the momentum. From there, it felt inevitable that the pressure would tell.
Five minutes after the restart, it did. Ronaldo, as so often, provided the difference, his second-half winner turning a frustrating evening into another landmark occasion.
That goal extended Al Nassr’s remarkable scoring streak to 91 consecutive matches. It is now the second-longest run in football history and the longest active streak in Saudi Arabian football. Six more games with at least one goal, and they will own the world record outright.
Ronaldo sits at the heart of that surge. He has been directly involved in 155 goals in 150 appearances for Al Nassr, a staggering return that underlines just how central he remains to their ambitions.
Perfect start, contrasting fortunes
The victory keeps Al Nassr perfect in the league. Four games, four wins, 12 points. They sit alone at the summit, already setting a fierce pace in the title race.
For Al Taawoun, the picture is far bleaker. This defeat leaves them marooned in 15th place with just two points from their opening fixtures, a tough start that threatens to turn into a long, anxious season if they cannot arrest the slide quickly.
Al Nassr, by contrast, are riding a wave. This latest win comes straight after a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Al Ettifaq in the third round, a night that showcased both their volatility and their resolve.
Trailing 2-0 at half-time in that game, manager Ange Postecoglou made the bold call to withdraw Ronaldo at the break. The captain’s reaction was there for all to see: arms thrown in the air, the armband dropped on the turf, frustration spilling over as Al Nassr chased the game.
The gamble worked. Sadio Mane struck twice in the second half to complete a stirring turnaround, vindicating Postecoglou’s decision and underlining the depth of attacking firepower at his disposal.
Afterwards, the coach backed his star forward, insisting Ronaldo is “passionate about football and passionate about Al-Nassr,” his intensity mirroring the club’s relentless push for silverware.
Four games into the new campaign, Ronaldo has records tumbling, Al Nassr are scoring in every match they touch, and the league table already has a familiar look. The only real question now is not whether he will reach 1,000 goals, but how many more records he and this team will tear down along the way.
