Cristiano Ronaldo made his return to competitive action on Friday and instantly got his name in the scoresheet. The Al-Nassr forward came off the bench against Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League and scored
just over 20 minutes after entering the game. His 83rd-minute finish completed a 4-0 win and took his official career tally to 977 goals. The match was played at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on August 21, 2026. It was Ronaldo’s first appearance of the new season after he was left out of Al-Nassr’s previous game.
Al-Nassr had already taken control of the match before Ronaldo came on around the hour mark. Abdulelah Al-Amri, Angelo and Joao Felix had put the hosts 3-0 ahead. Ronaldo then added a fourth after Aiman Yahya picked him out inside the box. The 41-year-old controlled the ball, turned sharply and sent a low finish into the far corner to leave the goalkeeper with little chance. He celebrated the goal with his trademark celebration and this video has gone viral on social media.
🚨GOAL: 41 year-old Cristiano Ronaldo just scored for Al Nassr CR7 is 23 goals away from hitting 1000 in his career pic.twitter.com/IzF50mN4sB
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) August 21, 2026
Ronaldo closes in on 1000 goals
The goal moved Ronaldo to 977 official goals for club and country, leaving him just 23 short of the 1000-goal mark. It is another milestone in a career that has included stints at Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr, along with more than two decades representing Portugal. Despite being 41, Ronaldo continues to produce goals at a remarkable rate. His latest goal came after a busy summer that included the 2026 World Cup but he was at his best when he stepped onto the pitch against Al-Riyadh.
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The Portugal captain had a mixed World Cup where he scored five goals but his team could not perform well and were knocked out early. There was pressure on him and he has made a return to the Saudi League in fine style. This was his 130th goal for Al Nassr in all competitions since joining the club in December 2022. Ronaldo did not feature for Al Nassr in their opening league win over Al Fateh last week or their King's Cup victory at Al Diriyah on Tuesday. Al-Nassr had a comfortable victory and made a strong start to the new Saudi Pro League campaign.
