Portugal and Al Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo is closing in on an unprecedented milestone in football history — 1,000 career goals.
According to Sky Sports on Wednesday, Ronaldo’s recent brace against Hungary in the World Cup qualifiers has taken his total tally to 948 goals — 805 for club and 143 for country.
The 40-year-old superstar also made history by becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup qualifying matches, surpassing Carlos Ruiz, who held the previous record of 39 goals. Lionel Messi currently sits third on the list with 36.
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Despite his age, Ronaldo continues to deliver astonishing numbers both for Portugal and Al Nassr. Since moving to Saudi Arabia, he has scored 104 goals in 117 appearances over four seasons — a remarkable return, even if some critics point to the lower level of competition.
So far in 2025, Ronaldo has already netted 32 goals for club and country, maintaining the consistency that has defined his career. Impressively, he has averaged over 50 goals per year since 2010, with his peak coming in 2013, when he bagged 69 goals and claimed the Ballon d’Or.
Even more astonishing, Ronaldo’s annual goal tally has dropped below 39 only once in the past 15 years — a testament to his relentless fitness, hunger, and professionalism.
With Portugal expected to qualify for the next World Cup and two years remaining on his Al Nassr contract, projections suggest that Ronaldo could reach the historic 1,000-goal milestone by October 2026, cementing his legacy as the greatest goalscorer in football history.
