Ronaldo's quest for his 1,000th goal begins

Al Nassr begin their title defence

The Saudi Pro League gets under way today, with Al Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo defending last season’s championship in the 2026-27 campaign. It was Ronaldo’s first trophy with the club, won after a difficult wait since his move in winter 2023, after the Qatar World Cup.

Ronaldo’s next target

At 41, Ronaldo has already added more records this summer, despite Portugal’s exit to Spain in the last 16. He became the only player to score at six different World Cups.

The bigger personal milestone now sits in view. Ronaldo has 978 career goals, leaving him 22 short of 1,000. He has passed that level comfortably in each of his three full seasons in Saudi Arabia.

He said at the Globe Soccer Awards in December 2025 that he wanted to win trophies and reach the number everyone recognises, adding that he would get there if he stayed clear of injury.