Ronaldo nets 979th career goal, edging toward 1,000-goal milestone
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 979th official goal as Al Nassr beat Abha 2-1, bringing him within 21 goals of the unprecedented 1,000-goal mark.
In a Saudi Pro League match at Riyadh's Al-Awwal Park, Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for Al Nassr by heading home an inswinging corner in the 22nd minute, a strike that was credited despite the ball hitting the post first. The goal marked his 979th official career tally, achieved over 1,334 appearances, and was his third league goal of the current season. With the win, Al Nassr moved back into the league leaders' group on 15 points, level with Al Hilal and Al Qadisiya, while Abha remained bottom-placed.
Ronaldo is now 21 goals shy of the historic 1,000-goal target, a benchmark no other senior player has reached. The pursuit is often framed against Lionel Messi, who has 927 official goals, keeping the long-standing rivalry in focus.
