Ronaldo’s 981st career goal helped Al-Nassr beat Neftchi Fergana 3-1, moving the Portuguese star closer to his 1,000-goal milestone

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 981st career goal on Monday, October 12, 2026, as Al-Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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The 41-year-old Portuguese forward struck in the 42nd minute to double Al-Nassr’s advantage after Angelo Gabriel had opened the scoring nine minutes earlier.

Ronaldo’s latest goal moved him to within 19 of the landmark 1,000 career goals for club and country, extending his pursuit of one of football’s most significant individual milestones.

The goal came after Sadio Mane delivered a looping cross from the left. Aiman Yahya directed the ball into Ronaldo’s path with his chest, allowing the forward to fire into the bottom corner with a shot on the turn, Reuters reported.

The match, however, was delayed by about an hour following a security alert issued by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence shortly before the scheduled kick-off.

Reuters reported that the delay was linked to security concerns amid missile threats from Yemen-based Houthi rebels.

After the delayed start, Al-Nassr took control of the contest through Angelo’s opener before Ronaldo increased their lead shortly before half-time.

Neftchi Fergana responded six minutes into the second half when Alisher Odilov scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

The visitors’ hopes of mounting a comeback were dealt a blow in the 65th minute when Ikromjon Alibaev was sent off for a foul on Mohamed Simakan.

Al-Nassr capitalised on their numerical advantage and secured the victory in the 78th minute when Anvarjon Gofurov inadvertently put the ball into his own net.

The result gave Al-Nassr their first points in the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite campaign following a 4-0 defeat to UAE side Al-Ain in their opening fixture.

Ronaldo entered Monday’s match after scoring his 980th career goal in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

In that match, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, reacting quickly after goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah parried a powerful effort from Kingsley Coman.

His latest strike against Neftchi means the five-time Ballon d’Or winner needs just 19 more goals to reach 1,000 career goals for club and country.

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Ronaldo continues to pursue the milestone as he extends his career into his 40s, remaining a central figure for Al-Nassr and Portugal.