Cristiano Ronaldo is due back in an Al-Nassr shirt on Friday for the first time this season, with his club hosting Al-Riyadh in round two of the Saudi Pro League, and the number hovering over the occasion is a stark one: 976.
That is where Ronaldo's official career goal count stands, according to ONE — 830 for his clubs and 146 for Portugal — leaving him 24 short of becoming the first footballer in history to reach 1,000 in competitive, official matches.
The 41-year-old sat out Al-Nassr's opening-day 3-1 win over Al-Fateh after the club granted him extended leave following Portugal's run at the 2026 World Cup and his wedding to Georgina Rodriguez, whom he married in a private ceremony in Cascais on August 11.
New head coach Ange Postecoglou has been easing his captain back into training over the past fortnight and is expected to hand him a route back into the side against Al-Riyadh, according to ONE's report.
Postecoglou, the former Tottenham and Celtic manager, signed a two-year contract in Riyadh over the summer, taking charge after Jorge Jesus departed following Al-Nassr's Saudi Pro League title win in 2025-26.
The 1,000-goal chase has become the defining subplot of Ronaldo's season, with the striker having said previously that he is certain to reach the mark as long as he stays free of injury.
He is also starting his 25th season as a professional, and has dropped hints that this campaign, his fourth in Saudi Arabia, could be his last — adding extra weight to every goal between now and the milestone.
Nothing is confirmed about when exactly he will get there; 24 goals across a Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League season is a realistic target for a player who has rarely gone long spells without scoring, even into his forties.
