Cristiano Ronaldo scores in Al Nassr's 3-0 win to reach 980 career goals

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to scoring ways this Friday as Al Nassr beat Diriyah 3-0 in the Saudi Pro League. The 41-year-old opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and hit the 980th goal of his professional career, leaving him twenty short of the 1,000-goal mark he has set as a personal target.

• Cristiano Ronaldo made it 1-0 in the 23rd minute after pouncing on a rebound from goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah following a Kingsley Coman effort.
• Samu Costa scored the second in the 35th minute after a pass from Joao Felix, and Coman completed the 3-0 in the 77th assisted by Sadio Mane.
• The referee disallowed a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in the 9th minute for offside.
• Al Nassr now level on points with Al Qadsiah at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
• Inigo Martinez returned to the starting lineup in Al Nassr's defense.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 980th career goal keeps the 1,000 mark in sight

The goal against Diriyah carries extra weight for the Portuguese captain. With this strike, Cristiano Ronaldo moves to 980 goals as a professional and keeps alive his pursuit of the 1,000-goal barrier before retirement. That round number has become a declared obsession for the forward, who continues to compete at the highest level at 41.

He could have moved even closer to the milestone earlier in the match. In the 9th minute, the former Real Madrid star found the net, but the linesman ruled the goal out because the Portuguese player had started his run from an offside position. The warning sign did not last long: in the 23rd minute he capitalized on a rebound from Diriyah goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah after a shot by French winger Kingsley Coman, and this time the effort counted.

Samu Costa, Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman complete Al Nassr's scoring

Stefano Pioli's side did not settle for their star's opening goal. Samu Costa doubled the lead in the 35th minute after latching onto a ball played by Joao Felix, a combination of Portuguese talent that effectively ended the contest. Diriyah, unable to respond, conceded the third in the 77th minute.

Kingsley Coman, one of Al Nassr's standout attacking names, sealed the 3-0 with a finish after a pass from Sadio Mane. The French winger delivered a superb all-round performance, playing a direct part in two of his team's three goals.

What Al Nassr are fighting for in the Saudi Pro League title race

The win over Diriyah keeps Al Nassr firmly in the hunt for the Saudi Pro League leadership. With these three points, the Riyadh club now has the same tally as Al Qadsiah, who thrashed Al Kholood 5-0 on Friday and remain top on goal difference. The tight battle at the summit turns every matchday into an early final.

Al Qadsiah feature former Real Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez in their ranks, while Al Nassr have brought back former Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez to the starting lineup. The presence of top-level Spanish and Portuguese players adds further appeal to a competition that continues to grow internationally.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to club action after the international break

The match against Diriyah marked Cristiano Ronaldo's return to club competition after his abrupt departure from Portugal's national team camp on September 30. The forward left the Portuguese squad and returned to Riyadh, where he resumed training with Al Nassr ahead of this fixture.

His performance on Friday showed the episode has not slowed him down. With the goal against Diriyah, Cristiano added another strike in a season where he remains the attacking reference for Al Nassr and one of the top scorers in Saudi football.

Cristiano Ronaldo's season numbers with Al Nassr

At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is maintaining a scoring pace that defies logic. The goal against Diriyah consolidates his status as Al Nassr's leading marksman and brings him closer to a record no footballer has reached in the modern era. His physical capacity and instinct in the box remain the main weapons of a team chasing every trophy.

His next immediate target will be to keep adding goals in the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League, where Al Nassr are also fighting to advance through the rounds. Every match is a new chance for Cristiano to close that twenty-goal gap separating him from 1,000.