Cristiano Ronaldo scores 977th career goal as Al-Nassr beats Al Riyadh 4-0
Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his season debut as Al-Nassr defeated Al Riyadh 4-0, reaching 977 career goals and marking his 25th consecutive scoring season.
Match progression in Riyadh
Al-Nassr secured a 4-0 away victory against Al Riyadh on Friday in the second round of the Saudi Pro League, maintaining a record of six points at the top of the standings. The visiting side opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Abdulelah Al-Amri converted a pass from winger Ângelo Gabriel. Ângelo extended the lead in first-half stoppage time (45+1') with a strike past the Al Riyadh goalkeeper. In the second half, Portuguese forward João Félix made it 3-0 in the 58th minute, maneuvering inside the penalty area before placing a low shot into the net.
- Abdulelah Al-Amri scores the opening goal assisted by Ângelo Gabriel
- Ângelo Gabriel doubles the lead in first-half stoppage time
- João Félix scores Al-Nassr's third goal
- Cristiano Ronaldo enters the pitch as a substitute
- Cristiano Ronaldo scores with a left-footed shot assisted by Aiman Yahya
Cristiano Ronaldo entered the match in the 62nd minute to make his first appearance of the 2026-2027 club season. In the 83rd minute, the 41-year-old forward received a pass from Aiman Yahya in the penalty area, turned past an opposing defender, and finished with his left foot to complete the 4-0 result. The defeat left Al Riyadh in 18th place with zero points from two fixtures.
Milestone in consecutive scoring seasons
The late strike marked the 977th official goal of Ronaldo's professional career, leaving him 23 goals short of reaching 1,000 goals. The goal established a sequence of 25 consecutive seasons in which Ronaldo has scored at senior level, beginning in the 2002-2003 season with Sporting CP in Portugal.
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- 25 seasons
- Zlatan Ibrahimović
- 24 seasons
With this goal, Ronaldo moved past Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimović, who scored in 24 consecutive senior seasons during his professional career. The strike in Riyadh arrived three months after Ronaldo completed the previous league campaign with Al-Nassr, winning the Saudi Pro League title against Damac.
Postecoglou reaction and squad transition
The fixture was the second league match under manager Ange Postecoglou, who replaced Jorge Jesus at Al-Nassr. Postecoglou chose to start Félix in attack while keeping Ronaldo on the bench for the opening hour. Following the final whistle, Postecoglou evaluated Ronaldo's physical condition and impact during his half-hour appearance.
Cristiano Ronaldo needed some time to return to competition because he was very busy during the pre-season, but his mentality is well known and he loves to play. Today, he had an excellent 30 minutes, scored a goal, and did what he needed to do.
Al-Nassr next travels to face Al-Ettifaq, who also won their opening match against Al Riyadh.
Off-season context and retirement outlook
Ronaldo returned to club action following a summer that included starting every match for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, where he scored three goals. Following the tournament, Roberto Martínez departed as national team manager and was replaced by Jorge Jesus. During the off-season, Ronaldo married Georgina Rodríguez at their home in Cascais in a private ceremony attended by their five children. In an interview with Vogue magazine, Ronaldo addressed the timetable for his playing career.
This is probably my last year in football and I want to leave a spectacular legacy. I have so many things that keep me busy that it is difficult to mention just one. Because football can leave a big void, you need to fill your time in different ways, not just one. And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which is something I like a lot, and continue to enjoy what I have achieved, what we have achieved. After all, it was 25 years with many sacrifices.
