Ronaldo scores 969th career goal as Al Nassr reach ACL semis

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring as Al Nassr dismantled Al Wasl 4-0 on Sunday in the AFC Champions League Two quarterfinals, booking a place in the semi-finals with a dominant display in Dubai. The Portuguese forward's 11th-minute strike was the 969th goal of his career, leaving him 31 short of the historic 1,000-goal milestone.

A Clinical Display in Dubai

Al Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus deployed a full-strength attack at Zabeel Stadium, starting Ronaldo alongside Sadio Mané, Kingsley Coman, João Félix, and Marcelo Brozović for the first time in the tournament. The decision paid off within minutes. Coman released Nawaf Boushal down the right flank, and the full-back cut the ball back for Ronaldo to finish low into the corner.bolavip+1

The 41-year-old's goal set the tone for a first-half blitz. Félix delivered a precise corner for Iñigo Martínez to head home in the 24th minute, and just two minutes later supplied another cross for Abdulelah Al Amri to nod in Al Nassr's third. Al Wasl, the UAE-based hosts, were effectively out of the tie before halftime.saudigazette+1

The second half was more measured, though Al Nassr remained firmly in control. Mané completed the rout in the 80th minute, rounding the goalkeeper after being played through by substitute Abdullah Al Hamdan.nta+1

The Road to 1,000

Ronaldo's goal against Al Wasl made him the first player to score against 160 different teams in professional football. As of mid-April 2026, he sits on 969 career goals across all competitions, a tally that includes stints at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al Nassr.goal+2

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11, looms as a potential stage for Ronaldo's pursuit of four figures. He would need to maintain a pace of roughly a goal per game across the remaining weeks of the season and Portugal's tournament run to have any chance of reaching the mark by then.messivsronaldo

Al Nassr's Season Surge

The victory extended what has been a commanding season for Al Nassr. The Riyadh-based club leads the Saudi Pro League with 76 points from 29 matches, holding an eight-point advantage at the top of the table. They have won 15 consecutive league matches, a club record. Al Nassr will face either Qatar's Al Ahli SC or Al Hussein of Jordan in the AFC Champions League Two semi-finals.wikipedia+3