According to a report by Punch on Friday, October 23, 2026, Cristiano Ronaldo moved closer to the historic 1,000-goal milestone after scoring in Al-Nassr’s 3-1 victory over Al-Faisaly in a Saudi Pro League encounter on Friday.

The Portuguese forward reportedly took his career goal tally to 982 after finding the net with a second-half header in the 49th minute of the match.

Ronaldo connected with a free-kick delivery from compatriot João Félix, directing the ball into the net to extend Al-Nassr’s lead and strengthen his team’s position in the contest.

According to Goal, the goal was initially reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR) following protests from Al-Nassr players. The referee subsequently ruled that Ronaldo was onside, allowing the strike to stand.

The decision generated debate among some football supporters on social media, with questions raised over whether the ball may have deflected off an Al-Faisaly defender before crossing the goal line.

However, the Saudi Pro League’s official records credited the goal to Ronaldo, taking his reported career tally to 982.

Al-Nassr had made a strong start to the encounter, taking the lead in the fourth minute through Abdullah Al-Hamdan, who finished off an assist from Senegalese forward Sadio Mané.

The early goal gave Al-Nassr an advantage as they sought to maintain their momentum in the league campaign.

Ronaldo’s second-half effort further strengthened the team's position before Al-Faisaly attempted to fight back. Theo Bongonda reduced the deficit in the 66th minute, scoring to make it 2-1 and give the opposition renewed hope of securing a result.

However, Angelo Gabriel restored Al-Nassr’s two-goal advantage in the 79th minute, scoring the third goal to seal the 3-1 victory.

The result provided Al-Nassr with another important win as the club continued its pursuit of success in Saudi Arabian football.

Ronaldo’s latest strike reportedly left him just 18 goals away from reaching 1,000 career goals, a milestone that would further distinguish his already remarkable professional career.

The 41-year-old forward has continued to attract attention for his goal-scoring achievements, maintaining his ambition to extend his record despite advancing in age.

Reaching 1,000 career goals would represent a significant landmark for the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star, who has built his reputation around consistency, longevity and prolific finishing at club and international levels.

According to statistics cited by Goal, the strike against Al-Faisaly also made the club the 25th different team Ronaldo has scored against in the Saudi Pro League.

That achievement reportedly moved him ahead of former Al-Hilal forward Nasser Al-Shamrani, who scored against 24 different teams in the competition.

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United, and his arrival helped bring increased international attention to the Saudi Pro League.

Since moving to Saudi Arabia, the Portugal captain has remained a central figure in Al-Nassr’s attacking setup, contributing goals while continuing to pursue major individual milestones.

Al-Nassr travelled to Al-Majma’ah Sports City Stadium for the fixture against Al-Faisaly as part of their ongoing league campaign.