Cristiano Ronaldo once again led Al-Nassr to a commanding 3-0 victory over Al-Kholood in the Saudi Pro League on Friday night, scoring the opener and continuing his remarkable chase toward 1,000 career goals while strengthening his bid for another Golden Boot in a hard-fought season.
The Portugal captain and all-time great tapped in the first goal shortly after halftime at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Buraidah, setting the tone for a clinical performance that keeps Al-Nassr firmly in the title race and underscores Ronaldo’s continued importance at age 40.
After a scrappy first half without goals, Al-Nassr broke the deadlock in the 47th minute, as Ronaldo finished a simple chance courtesy of a precise assist from Joao Felix — his 17th goal of the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League season.
Ronaldo’s strike brought his career total to 961 goals, just 39 from the coveted 1,000 mark that has become a central focus of his late-career ambitions.
Mohamed Simakan added a second just six minutes later, rising to head home another Felix creation, and later in the match Kingsley Coman sealed the 3-0 scoreline from the penalty spot after VAR confirmed a foul in the box.
The result extends Al-Nassr’s winning run to four consecutive league matches, moving Jorge Jesus’s side within three points of league leaders Al-Hilal as the campaign heads toward its business end.
“It was a great team performance,” Felix said in a post-match interview. “We kept our focus and Ronaldo’s goal really boosted our confidence.”
Al-Kholood, battling near the lower end of the table, saw captain Hattan Bahebri sent off in the 74th minute after an elbow on Simakan, compounding their struggles and effectively ending their hopes of a comeback.
Ronaldo’s goal against Al-Kholood thrust him further into the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot race, with England striker Ivan Toney also prominent in the top scorer standings — Toney has 18 goals this season compared with Ronaldo’s 17.
The Portuguese legend has already claimed the Saudi Golden Boot in two consecutive seasons and is showing no sign of slowing down despite nearing his 41st birthday.
“I want to win trophies and reach that 1,000-goal mark,” Ronaldo said last month in interviews tracking his historic milestone chase, reaffirming his determination to continue playing until that achievement is realized.
While individual statistics dominate headlines, Ronaldo’s influence extends beyond scoring. His leadership has been credited with galvanizing a deeper squad and lifting performances across the pitch, from younger attackers to key veterans like Coman and Felix.
Al-Nassr’s resurgence after a challenging start to the year — which included a brief run without victories — underscores Ronaldo’s ability to converge experience with clutch performances when needed.