Cristiano Ronaldo goal ends drought as he moves 20 short of 1,000
Cristiano Ronaldo scored in Al-Nassr's 3-0 win over Al-Diriyah, ending a month-long drought and taking his official career total to 980 goals, 20 short of the 1,000 milestone.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back among the goals and closing in on the most talked-about record in football. The Al-Nassr captain scored in a 3-0 home win over Al-Diriyah in round eight of the Saudi Pro League, a Cristiano Ronaldo goal reported on 9 October 2026 that took his official career total to 980. With 1,000 goals now just 20 away, the 41-year-old ended a scoring drought of around a month with Al-Nassr and helped his side to the top of the table at the time.
Cristiano Ronaldo goal against Al-Diriyah: how it happened
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. According to the Argentine outlet Perfil, the chance came when Kingsley Coman's shot was parried by the Al-Diriyah goalkeeper and the Portuguese forward was quickest to react, converting the rebound. It was a classic poacher's finish from a player who has built much of his late-career game around being in the right place inside the penalty area.
Al-Nassr then took control of the match. Samú Costa added a second goal and Coman, who had been involved in the opener, completed the scoring himself to seal a comfortable 3-0 victory in front of the home crowd.
Match facts: Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Diriyah
- Competition: Saudi Pro League, round eight
- Result: Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Diriyah (home win)
- Scorers for Al-Nassr: Cristiano Ronaldo (22'), Samú Costa, Kingsley Coman
- Ronaldo's career total: 980 official goals
- Goals still needed for 1,000: 20
Ronaldo record watch: 980 goals and counting
The strike moved Ronaldo's official tally to 980 goals, a figure no player in the modern era has come close to. His previous goal had come on 9 September 2026, when he headed in against Abha to reach 979, according to Gulf News. That meant the wait for number 980 lasted roughly a month, which Perfil described as a drought by his own extraordinary standards.
Perfil also noted that Ronaldo's total now stands 48 goals ahead of Lionel Messi, who is on 932 official goals. The long-running rivalry between the two greats continues to be measured in numbers, and the gap between them at the top of the all-time scoring charts remains significant.
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Goal 979 | Header against Abha, 9 September 2026 (Gulf News) |
| Goal 980 | Rebound against Al-Diriyah, 22nd minute (reported 9 October 2026) |
| Gap to 1,000 | 20 goals |
| Lead over Messi | 48 goals (Messi on 932, per Perfil) |
Fourth Saudi Pro League goal of the season
The goal was Ronaldo's fourth in the league in 2026-27. According to AfricaSoccer, his earlier strikes this season came against Al-Riyadh, Al-Taawoun and Abha. Yalla Shoot data credit him with four league goals from seven appearances and 513 minutes on the pitch so far, numbers that place him within reach of the leading group in the Saudi Pro League scoring chart.
That chart is currently led by Al-Ahli's Ivan Toney with 11 goals, well clear of a pack on five that includes Trincão, Alexandre Lacazette, Youssef En-Nesyri, Mateo Retegui and Steven Bergwijn. Ronaldo, who has won the league's Golden Boot before, would need a sustained run to close that gap, but his track record suggests a scoring streak is never far away.
Ronaldo's reaction: "Job done"
After the final whistle Ronaldo kept his message short. According to AfricaSoccer, he posted on social media: "Job done. On to the next one!" It was a typically focused response from a player who has always treated each goal as a step towards the next target rather than a moment to linger on.
What the win means for Al-Nassr in the title race
The victory over Al-Diriyah lifted Al-Nassr to the top of the table on 19 points, according to Perfil. The title race in Saudi Arabia is tight, however, and the latest Yalla Shoot standings show how quickly positions change. Al-Qadisiyah, who have played a game more, now lead with 22 points, with Al-Hilal second on 21 and Al-Nassr third on 19 from eight matches: six wins, one draw and one defeat, with 19 goals scored and seven conceded.
- 1. Al-Qadisiyah: 22 points (9 played)
- 2. Al-Hilal: 21 points (8 played)
- 3. Al-Nassr: 19 points (8 played)
- 4. Al-Ittihad: 17 points (8 played)
Al-Diriyah, meanwhile, sit ninth with 11 points after eight games. For Al-Nassr, the challenge is to turn their strong defensive numbers and the renewed sharpness of their captain into a consistent run that keeps them in contention with their Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal.
Background: Ronaldo's long chase for 1,000
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January 2023 after leaving Manchester United, and his goals in Saudi Arabia have steadily pushed him towards a four-figure career total. He is also the all-time leading scorer in men's international football with Portugal, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner and a five-time Champions League winner. At 41, his continued output is one of the sport's most remarkable stories, and every goal now brings fresh attention to the countdown.
What's next for Ronaldo and Al-Nassr
With 20 goals still needed, the chase for 1,000 will dominate the conversation around Ronaldo for the rest of the season. Al-Nassr's next fixtures will offer him the chance to cut that number further and help his team regain top spot. Follow every Al-Nassr game as it happens on our live scores page.