Ronaldo 979 goals brings the Portuguese star 21 away from 1,000 after Al Nassr beat Abha 2-1 in Riyadh

Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr captain and Portugal forward, scored his 979th career goal at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as defending Saudi Pro League champions Al Nassr defeated Abha 2-1 to recover from their first league defeat of the season.

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The 41-year-old forward’s latest goal leaves Ronaldo 21 goals short of 1,000, a landmark that has increasingly become one of the defining ambitions of the latter stage of his extraordinary career.

Ronaldo struck in the 22nd minute, rising above his marker to meet Ângelo Gabriel’s corner and directing a powerful header towards the far side of the goal.

The finish reflected one of Ronaldo’s enduring strengths. His movement created the space, his leap separated him from the defender and his header gave Abha goalkeeper Donovan Léon little opportunity to intervene.

The goal was Ronaldo’s third in five Saudi Pro League appearances this season and his latest contribution to a campaign that has kept the veteran forward firmly at the centre of Al Nassr’s title challenge.

For Al Nassr, the victory was important beyond the individual milestone.

The Riyadh club had entered the match looking to respond to a 2-1 defeat by Al Ittihad four days earlier, a result that ended a perfect start to the league campaign.

The loss had also exposed some defensive weaknesses and placed greater importance on a prompt response.

Al Nassr controlled much of the contest against Abha, although the final score suggested a far closer contest than the balance of play at several stages.

Abdullah Al Hamdan extended the home side’s advantage in the 58th minute after finding space inside the penalty area and finishing from close range. The goal gave Al Nassr the cushion that its territorial dominance had threatened to produce.

Abha, however, refused to disappear quietly.

Nabil Fekir reduced the deficit in the 75th minute with a free-kick that caught goalkeeper Bento Krepski off guard.

The experienced French midfielder’s effort transformed what had looked like a comfortable evening for Al Nassr into a tense closing period.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser during the final stages, but Al Nassr held on to secure three points.

Ronaldo came close to adding a second goal of the night late in the match. A long-range effort in the closing stages was saved by Léon, denying the Portuguese forward the chance to move another step towards four figures.

The result lifted Al Nassr to 15 points and kept the champions within touching distance of the top of the Saudi Pro League.

Al Hilal also have 15 points, while Al Qadsiah are level on the same total, making the early title race particularly tight.

Abha, by contrast, remain at the bottom of the table with one point from six matches after suffering their fifth defeat of the campaign.

For Ange Postecoglou, the result offered a welcome response after the disappointment at Al Ittihad.

“The most important thing is that we won. The last match was frustrating, even though our level was good,” Postecoglou said after the victory.

The Australian manager took charge of Al Nassr in July, succeeding Jorge Jesus, and has begun the new campaign with a squad built around several prominent international names, including Ronaldo, Sadio Mané and João Félix.

João Félix was absent against Abha, leaving Ronaldo to lead an attack that nevertheless found enough quality to overcome the visitors.

The victory also carried an intriguing twist in the wider title race. Al Hilal suffered a 2-1 defeat against Neom, allowing Al Nassr to close the gap at the top and move level on points with their Riyadh rivals.

That result gives the champions renewed momentum after their brief stumble against Al Ittihad.

Ronaldo’s individual pursuit, meanwhile, continues to provide another compelling thread to the season.

The Portuguese star has spoken openly about the possibility that his playing career is approaching its final stage, making the chase for 1,000 goals particularly poignant.

His latest strike means only 21 more goals separate Ronaldo from a round number that would add another remarkable chapter to a career already defined by extraordinary scoring records.

Ronaldo has been prolific since joining Al Nassr in 2023 and has continued to produce decisive moments well into his 40s. His latest goal again demonstrated why the forward remains central to the club’s ambitions despite his age.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist announced this week did not include Ronaldo, despite his success with Al Nassr, while Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland were among the 30 nominees.

Ronaldo’s response on the pitch was characteristically direct: another goal and another victory.

The 2-1 result over Abha therefore served two purposes for Al Nassr. It restored confidence after the setback against Al Ittihad and kept the champions firmly involved at the top of the Saudi Pro League.

For Ronaldo, the significance was even greater. At 41, the forward remains 21 goals away from 1,000, with each appearance now carrying the possibility of another historic step.

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Al Nassr’s next league fixture is away to Al Khaleej on September 12, giving Ronaldo another opportunity to continue a pursuit that has become one of football’s most captivating stories.