Cristiano Ronaldo profile: Saudi champion still scoring for Al Nassr at 41
Cristiano Ronaldo has five goals for Al Nassr in 2026-27 after winning the Saudi Pro League, but a reported rift with Portugal clouds his October. Our profile covers his season and career.
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is still doing what he has always done: scoring goals and making headlines. The Al Nassr captain begins the 2026-27 season as a reigning Saudi Pro League champion, has already found the net five times in all competitions and remains the all-time leading scorer and most-capped player in men's international football. Yet his October has also been shaped by a reported rift with Portugal. This Cristiano Ronaldo profile brings together the latest news, his season so far, his playing style, a career table, his honours and what lies ahead.
Cristiano Ronaldo latest news: champion in Riyadh, uncertainty with Portugal
Ronaldo finally got his hands on the Saudi league title last season. On the final day of 2025-26, on 21 May 2026, he scored twice in a 4-1 win over Damac to seal Al Nassr's first league crown since 2018-19, according to Wikipedia's account of the campaign. He extended his contract in June 2025, as ESPN reported at the time, and that deal runs until 2027.
The international picture is less settled. According to Wikipedia's account, which we have not been able to confirm through a second source, Ronaldo left Portugal's camp on 30 September 2026 after being benched, later issued a statement in which he criticised coach Jorge Jesus while also apologising, and was provisionally suspended by the Portuguese federation on 10 October pending disciplinary proceedings. Until the federation's process concludes, his immediate international future remains unclear.
Ronaldo's 2026-27 season with Al Nassr
On the pitch, the new season has started steadily. According to Wikipedia's 2026-27 Al Nassr season page, the club is coached by Ange Postecoglou, with Ronaldo as captain. The same page records four Saudi Pro League goals and five in all competitions for Ronaldo as of 13 October 2026.
Ronaldo's goals so far in 2026-27 (per Wikipedia)
- 21 August: on target against Al-Riyadh in the league.
- 28 August: scored against Al Taawoun.
- 9 September: scored against Abha.
- 9 October: scored against Al-Diriyah.
- 12 October: scored in a 3-1 AFC Champions League Elite win over Neftchi.
In the table, Al Nassr were second in mid-October with 19 points from eight matches, two behind Al-Hilal, according to Wikipedia. The title defence is therefore very much alive, with the Riyadh rivals setting the pace.
Role and playing style at 41
Ronaldo's game has evolved considerably since his days as a flying winger at Manchester United. Today he is a penalty-box striker who saves his energy for the moments that matter. His movement to lose a marker, his heading ability and his two-footed finishing remain elite weapons, and he continues to take penalties and free-kicks for his team.
As captain, he also sets the tone in the dressing room. His professionalism and famous fitness regime have allowed him to keep playing at a high level well into his forties, while his hunger for goals and records remains his defining characteristic. For Al Nassr, the brief is simple: put him in positions to finish, and he will usually deliver.
Cristiano Ronaldo career path: Funchal to Riyadh
Born on 5 February 1985 in Funchal, Madeira, Ronaldo came through Sporting CP's academy and made his senior debut in 2002. A move to England the following year launched one of the most successful careers in the history of the game.
| Club | Years | Key honours |
|---|---|---|
| Sporting CP | 2002-2003 | Academy graduate, senior debut in 2002 |
| Manchester United | 2003-2009 | 3 straight Premier League titles, 2008 Champions League |
| Real Madrid | 2009-2018 | 2 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League titles; club's all-time top scorer |
| Juventus | 2018-2021 | 2 Serie A titles |
| Manchester United | 2021-2022 | Return to Old Trafford |
| Al Nassr | 2023- | 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, 2025-26 Saudi Pro League |
Honours and records
Ronaldo's list of achievements is among the longest in football. He is a five-time UEFA Champions League winner and the competition's all-time top scorer, and he has won the Ballon d'Or five times. He collected three consecutive Premier League titles with Manchester United, two La Liga titles with Real Madrid, where he became the club's all-time leading scorer, and two Serie A titles with Juventus.
In Saudi Arabia he added the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 and the 2025-26 league title. In August 2025 he became the first player to score 100 goals for four different clubs when he reached the mark for Al Nassr, extending a list of records that already seemed endless.
International career with Portugal
For Portugal, Ronaldo holds the men's international records of 234 caps and 146 goals as of September 2026. He led his country to victory at UEFA Euro 2016 and won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
The 2026 World Cup was his record sixth. He scored twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan on 23 June to become the first player to score at six World Cups, then converted a penalty in a 2-1 round-of-32 win over Croatia on 2 July. Portugal's run ended with a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16, according to Wikipedia. Whether he adds to his record tally of caps now depends on how the reported disciplinary case with the federation is resolved.
What's next for Cristiano Ronaldo
At club level, the priorities are clear: keep Al Nassr within reach of Al-Hilal in the title race and push deep in the AFC Champions League Elite after the win over Neftchi. His contract runs until 2027, so this season and the next could shape how his Saudi chapter is remembered. On the international front, the outcome of the reported disciplinary proceedings will determine when, or whether, he returns to the Portugal squad.
Track Al Nassr's results and every Saudi Pro League fixture on our matches page, with live scores on Yalla Shoot.