During Al-Nassr’s matchday 8 fixture against Diriyah, Cristiano Ronaldo netted his latest goal as he approaches record 1000-career goals
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Cristiano Ronaldo (R) of Portugal attends a training session ahead of the round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dallas, the United States, on July 5, 2026(Xinhua via IANS)
Under fire Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo continued his chase for 1,000 career goals by scoring his 980th goal during Al-Nassr’s matchday 8 fixture against Diriyah yesterdayThe Portuguese forward found the net in the 23rd minute, making an immediate impact on his return to club football after his recent dispute with current Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo scored after an Al-Nassr teammate attempted a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Waleed AbdullahThe ball fell into Ronaldo’s path, and the 41-year-old made no mistake, sending his effort into the top-left corner to give his side the lead.
The forward celebrated with his trademark jump near the corner flagThe goal took his combined tally for club and country to 980, leaving him 20 goals short of the 1,000-goal milestone.
CRISTIANO RONALDO OPENS THE SCORING FOR AL NASSR! https://t.co/u0hyhNwSiz
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) October 9, 2026
Ronaldo’s 980th strike came after major controversy erupted between him and former Al-Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus, who took charge of the European Selecao after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What happened between the two?
The dispute began after Ronaldo was left on the bench for Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway in SeptemberHe had started Portugal’s previous match against Wales, playing 65 minutes in a 1-0 victory, but was not brought on against Norway.
Ronaldo later left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen ahead of the team’s Nations League match against DenmarkHis decision raised questions about his relationship with Jesus and his future with the national team.
In a lengthy statement issued on October 6, Ronaldo accused the coach of breaking his promisesHe claimed that Jesus had initially agreed to manage his playing time during the international window but later failed to honour their understanding.
Ronaldo also said they had discussed how Jesus would address his omission from the Norway match in a post-match press conferenceAccording to the forward, the coach did not follow the agreed plan, which further damaged their relationship.
Ronaldo apologises to Portugal teammates and fans
Despite criticising Jesus, Ronaldo accepted responsibility for leaving the national team camp and apologised to his teammates and supporters.
He acknowledged that his departure was not the right way to handle the situationThe Portugal captain also made it clear that he was ready to represent his country again, even if he faced disciplinary action for his decision.
Ronaldo insisted that his commitment to Portugal remained unchanged and said he wanted to continue competing and winning for his country once his suspension gets over.
