Ronaldo hits 979th career goal as Al Nassr edge Abha 2-1
September 9, 2026 9:25 pm
Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 979th career goal as Al Nassr came from behind their recent setback to defeat Abha 2-1 in the Saudi Pro League on Wednesday at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh.
PUNCH Online reports that the defending champion’s victory marked a swift response to their only defeat of the season so far — a 2-1 loss away to Al-Ittihad four days earlier
The 41-year-old Portuguese forward opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a trademark header.
Rising above his marker to meet Ângelo’s corner near the six-yard box, Ronaldo powered a firm downward header beyond Abha goalkeeper Donovan Léon and into the far post.
The goal was his third of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season in five appearances and his 132nd for Al Nassr since joining the club.
More significantly, it took his official career tally to 979 goals, leaving him just 21 short of the historic 1,000-goal landmark that no player has ever reached in competitive senior football.
Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of the milestone has gained extra urgency after he recently suggested that the current campaign could be his final season as a professional.
At his current scoring rate, the veteran still has a realistic path to the landmark across Al Nassr’s remaining Saudi Pro League fixtures, the King’s Cup, the AFC Champions League Elite, and potential Portugal call-ups in the UEFA Nations League, The Sun reported on Wednesday.
Al Nassr dominated the match, enjoying around 67% possession and creating the clearer opportunities against newly promoted Abha.
After Ronaldo’s opener, Abdullah Al-Hamdan doubled the lead in the 58th minute, stepping into the box and finishing with a right-footed shot from the centre of the area.
Abha threatened a late comeback when Nabil Fekir reduced the deficit from a free-kick in the 75th minute, but the home side held firm until the final whistle around the 93rd minute.
The victory lifts Al Nassr to 15 points from six matches (five wins and one defeat), placing them second in the table with a goal difference of +9.
Abha remain near the foot of the standings with just one point from six games.
Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes and was named among the key performers, continuing to lead the line for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Al Nassr’s next test comes away to Al-Khaleej on September 12 as they look to maintain their challenge near the top of the Saudi Pro League while Ronaldo edges closer to one of football’s most extraordinary individual landmark.
Tosin Oyediran is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of professional experience in reporting and storytelling. He is known for conducting incisive interviews and producing compelling human-angle stories that bring clarity and depth to the news. Tosin covers a broad range of beats including politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment, with a strong focus on people-centred reporting. His work reflects firsthand newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a commitment to accurate, engaging, and trustworthy journalism.
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