Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return from a hamstring injury in grand fashion, proving he hasn’t lost a step during his recovery. The Portuguese star netted a brace to reach 967 career goals, extending Al Nassr’s lead to 4–2 against Al Najma in their Saudi Pro League clash.
The all-time leading scorer in soccer history stepped up exactly when his team needed him most. With the match deadlocked at 2–2, the referee awarded a penalty to Al Nassr. Ronaldo made no mistake, firing a powerful strike into the back of the net to restore the lead for the league leaders.
The penalty was just the beginning of Ronaldo’s dominant return to action. Nearly 20 minutes after converting from the spot, the Portuguese star received a pinpoint pass from Kingsley Coman inside the box and unleashed a powerful strike that left the Al Najma goalkeeper with no chance.
With these two goals, Cristiano Ronaldo has now reached 10 strikes in 2026, bringing his total to 23 goals in the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League season. The Al-Nassr captain is rapidly closing the gap on Julian Quiñones (24 goals) and league leader Ivan Toney (25 goals) in the race for the Golden Boot.
Cristiano Ronaldo closing in on the historic 1,000-goal mark
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Cristiano Ronaldo continues to extend his lead as the all-time top scorer in soccer history, with Lionel Messi currently in second place. Following his brace against Al Najma, Ronaldo has reached 967 official career goals, leaving him just 33 strikes away from the unprecedented four-digit milestone.
With his scoring touch firmly intact—having scored six goals in his last five matches—the Al Nassr captain is on a trajectory to potentially become the first player in history to reach 1,000 goals.
Ronaldo nearing first trophy with Al Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace came exactly when Al Nassr needed it most. With the score deadlocked at 2–2, the captain stepped up as the hero to secure three vital points, keeping his side firmly at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings.
Now sitting on 70 points, Al Nassr hold a six-point lead over rivals Al Hilal (who have a game in hand) as the title race enters its final stretch. This victory brings Ronaldo one step closer to ending his trophy drought in Saudi Arabia and securing his first official major title since joining the club in early 2023.
