- The Portuguese striking superstar made it to an awe-inspiring 900 in September
- Ronaldo has also scored 100 goals at his Saudi club since January 2023 move
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Can INEOS really be judged after 12 months?
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored his staggering 925th career goal for Al Nassr in the side’s Saudi Pro League clash with Al-Wehda.
The Portuguese superstar breezed past the 100-goal mark for his Saudi club in January, just less than two years after his historic move to the Gulf state in the wake of his acrimonious departure from Manchester United in late 2022.
The 40-year-old had previously netted his record-breaking 900th in September, when he scored for his country against Croatia in their Nations League tie which saw the hosts run out the 2-1 winners.
But Ronaldo has been outspoken about his desire to reach a previously unthinkable milestone – scoring 1000 goals in his career – for some time.
‘(Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto) set me the challenge of reaching 1000 goals,’ Ronaldo said in 2023. ‘It will be quite difficult, but it is to see how I am mentally, my motivation. If, physically, my legs treat me as well as I treat them.’
Ronaldo was yet to reach 900 then, but said he was ‘confident’ that he would – and duly did.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 925th career goal for Al-Nassr against Al-Wehda on Tuesday
The forward was patient in the box before he bulleted a header into the back of the hosts’ net
Earlier in the year Ronaldo scored his 100th career goal in the Gulf state since his 2023 move
But Tuesday evening saw Ronaldo take one giant step further in domestic action, and in some style.
Accepting a pin-pointed cross, the forward flew towards the six-yard box before whisking in a header which flummoxed goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Owaishir to open the scoring.
Ronaldo celebrated with his trademark ‘siu’ gesture, much to the delight of the away support.
After setting up a strong partnership with his new attacking ally Jhon Duran, Ronaldo was forced to do without the former Aston Villa star for the first time since his £65million move to the Kingdom.
Duran picked up a red card on his fourth outing for Al-Nassr in the closing minutes of their 3-2 defeat to Al-Ettifaq, in an officiating display which angered his veteran team-mate.
Ronaldo was accused by fans online of behaving like a ‘man-child’ in his response to going down to 10 men, kicking the ball off the pitch during the break in play, and protesting the decision to a linesman and the fourth official.
Victory against Al-Wedha allowed for a quick bounce back after their last league defeat, but Al-Nassr still sit third, some way off Al-Ittihad at the summit of the table.
Ronaldo hit a record-breaking 900 goals in September when he scored for Portugal in their Nations League clash versus Croatia
The player had to do without his new strike partner Jhon Duran after the former Aston Villa player picked up a red card on his last outing
Winning domestic honours with his club continues to be a personal goal for Ronaldo, with the player insisting in December that he was keen to win honours with the Saudi club.
‘It is difficult to become champion in Saudi. This year Al-Hilal are better, Al-Ittihad are top of the league, but I believe that we have to push hard to be champions,’ Ronaldo said at the Globe Soccer Awards.
‘I’ve been champion everywhere I have (played) and I believe I will be champion, but I’ve won this trophy for scoring so many goals and assists and maintaining my level.’
