Ronaldo hits 979th career goal as Al Nassr edge Abha 2-1

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 979th career goal as Al Nassr bounced back from their recent defeat with a 2-1 victory over Abha in the Saudi Pro League on Wednesday at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh.

The win came just four days after Al Nassr suffered their first defeat of the season, a 2-1 loss away to Al-Ittihad.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a trademark header. The 41-year-old rose above his marker to connect with Ângelo’s corner from near the six-yard box, directing a powerful downward header beyond Abha goalkeeper Donovan Léon and into the far corner.

The strike was Ronaldo’s third league goal of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League campaign in five appearances and his 132nd goal since joining Al Nassr.

More importantly, it moved his official career goal tally to 979, leaving him just 21 goals away from the unprecedented 1,000-goal milestone in senior competitive football.

Ronaldo’s pursuit of the landmark has become even more significant after he recently indicated that the current season could be his last as a professional footballer.

The veteran forward still has several opportunities to reach the milestone, with Al Nassr set to compete in the Saudi Pro League, King’s Cup and AFC Champions League Elite, while Ronaldo could also feature for Portugal in the UEFA Nations League.

Al Nassr controlled much of the encounter, enjoying approximately 67% possession and creating the majority of the scoring opportunities against newly promoted Abha.

The hosts extended their advantage in the 58th minute when Abdullah Al-Hamdan found the net with a right-footed effort from the middle of the penalty area.

Abha responded in the 75th minute when Nabil Fekir pulled one goal back with a free-kick, raising hopes of a late comeback. Al Nassr, however, held on to secure all three points before the final whistle around the 93rd minute.

The result takes Al Nassr to 15 points from six matches, with five wins and one defeat, leaving them second in the league standings with a +9 goal difference.

Abha, meanwhile, remain close to the bottom of the table with just one point from their opening six matches.

Ronaldo completed the full 90 minutes and remained one of Al Nassr’s leading performers as the club continued its campaign under manager Ange Postecoglou.