Ronaldo nets 981st career goal in Al-Nassr win

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 981st career goal as Al-Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday.

The 41-year-old Portuguese forward scored in the 42nd minute to double Al-Nassr’s lead after Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring in the 33rd minute at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

According to Reuters, Ronaldo’s goal came after Sadio Mane delivered a looping cross from the left, which Aiman Yahya directed into the forward’s path with his chest before he fired into the bottom corner.

“The 41-year-old struck after Sadio Mane delivered a looping cross from ⁠the left that Aiman Yahya directed into Ronaldo’s path with his chest and the ⁠Portuguese forward lashed the ball into the bottom corner with a shot on the turn,” Reuters reported.

The goal moved Ronaldo to 981 career goals, leaving him 19 short of reaching the 1,000-goal milestone.

The match was delayed by about an hour following a security alert issued by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence shortly before the scheduled kick-off.

Reuters reported that the delay followed security concerns amid missile threats from Yemen-based Houthi rebels.

After the match eventually began, Al-Nassr took the lead through Angelo before Ronaldo doubled their advantage shortly before half-time.

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Neftchi reduced the deficit six minutes into the second half through Alisher Odilov, but the visitors’ hopes of a comeback suffered a setback when Ikromjon Alibaev was sent off in the 65th minute for a foul on Mohamed Simakan.

Al-Nassr sealed the victory in the 78th minute when Anvarjon Gofurov scored an own goal, making it 3-1.

The result gave Al-Nassr their first points in the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite campaign after they lost 4-0 to UAE side Al-Ain in their opening match.

Ronaldo had scored his 980th career goal in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Diriyah before finding the net again against Neftchi.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner continues his pursuit of 1,000 career goals for club and country.

PUNCH had days before reported that Ronaldo moved within 20 goals of the 1,000-career-goal milestone after scoring as Al-Nassr defeated Diriyah 3-0 in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

The 41-year-old Portuguese captain opened the scoring in the 23rd minute at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, pouncing on a rebound after goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah parried Kingsley Coman’s powerful effort.

Tosin Oyediran is a journalist with Punch Newspapers, bringing over eight years of newsroom experience to his coverage of politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment. Known for sharp interviews and human-centered reporting, his work focuses on public accountability, civic issues, and the stories shaping everyday lives.