Ronaldo Hits 980th Career Goal as Al-Nassr Win After Portugal Fallout

Cristiano Ronaldo has moved closer to the historic 1,000-goal milestone after scoring for Al-Nassr in their 3-0 victory over Al-Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League, following a controversial fallout with Portugal’s national team coach, Jorge Jesus.

The 41-year-old Portuguese forward scored his 980th career goal on Friday, October 9, 2026, as Al-Nassr returned to domestic action with a convincing victory in Riyadh.

Ronaldo’s goal came midway through the first half when Al-Diriyah goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah parried a long-range effort from Kingsley Coman. Ronaldo reacted quickly to the rebound and finished from close range to give Al-Nassr the lead.

The goal brought the five-time Ballon d’Or winner 20 goals away from his publicly stated target of scoring 1,000 goals in official matches, further extending a remarkable career spanning club and international football.

Al-Nassr doubled their advantage shortly before half-time when Samu Costa headed home from a corner delivered by João Félix. Coman subsequently added the third goal with 13 minutes remaining to seal the 3-0 victory.

The result kept Al-Nassr level on points with Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Qadsiah after eight rounds, although they remained behind on goal difference. Al-Qadsiah had earlier strengthened their position with a 5-0 victory over Al-Kholood.

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Ronaldo also received support from Al-Nassr supporters, who displayed banners celebrating his achievements before the match. The Portuguese Football Federation’s acknowledgement of his goal on social media also attracted attention against the backdrop of the recent controversy surrounding his national team involvement.

The club performance offered a positive response from Ronaldo after an international break dominated by reports of a disagreement with Jesus over his role in Portugal’s squad.

The dispute followed Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway, during which Ronaldo was not introduced despite warming up. He was subsequently informed that he would not start against Denmark.

In a statement reported by Reuters on October 6, Ronaldo alleged that Jesus had broken his word on two occasions. According to the forward, they had initially agreed that he would miss the two matches to manage his fitness, but the coach later indicated that he would play for 30 minutes against Norway.

Ronaldo said a subsequent meeting involving Jesus and Al-Nassr sporting director Simão Coutinho produced an understanding about how the coach would explain the situation publicly. He alleged that Jesus failed to follow the agreed explanation.

Jesus disputed Ronaldo’s account, denying that such an agreement had been made.

Ronaldo later apologised for leaving Portugal’s training camp and for failing to acknowledge supporters after the Norway match. He also accepted that the Portuguese Football Federation could impose disciplinary measures over his conduct.

Despite the disagreement, Ronaldo insisted that he had not retired from international football and remained willing to represent Portugal after serving any punishment that might be imposed.

Portugal’s coach and federation president Pedro Proença have indicated that the forward remains welcome in the national team setup. The federation has also described the episode as a misunderstanding to be resolved internally.

Ronaldo remains Portugal’s all-time leading scorer, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances. His next steps with the national team will depend on the resolution of the dispute and any disciplinary decision by the federation.

For now, his return to club action has put the focus back on his scoring record and Al-Nassr’s league campaign. With 980 career goals, Ronaldo continues his pursuit of the 1,000-goal landmark while uncertainty remains over the timing of his next Portugal appearance.