Cristiano Ronaldo marked the start of his 25th professional season by scoring his 977th career goal, coming off the bench to help Al Nassr secure a commanding 4-0 victory over Al Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
Ronaldo's substitute appearance seals emphatic win
The 41-year-old Portugal star was named among the substitutes by new head coach Ange Postecoglou for the away clash. He entered the fray in the 62nd minute with Al Nassr already leading 3-0, thanks to goals from Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ângelo Gabriel, and João Félix.
With just seven minutes remaining, Ronaldo converted Aiman Yahya's low cross from eight yards to make it 4-0. The strike brought him closer to the 1,000-goal milestone and marked his 130th goal for Al Nassr in all competitions since joining the club in December 2022.
Milestone chase continues
The goal was Ronaldo's first of the new campaign, as he continues his pursuit of becoming the first player in football history to reach 1,000 career goals. His tally now stands at 977, leaving him 23 short of the landmark.
Since his move to Al Nassr, Ronaldo has been a prolific scorer, and this latest strike adds to his impressive record in Saudi football. The 4-0 result gives Al Nassr a strong start to the season under Postecoglou's leadership.
The victory places Al Nassr in a promising position early in the Saudi Pro League campaign, with Ronaldo expected to play a key role as the season progresses.
