On a crisp Saturday evening at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh, the Saudi Pro League returned from its winter break with a match that saw Cristiano Ronaldo once again etch his name into the annals of football history. Al Nassr, the league leaders, squared off against Al Akhdoud, a side struggling near the bottom of the table with just one win in ten matches. Yet, despite the apparent mismatch on paper, the opening stages of this Matchday 10 clash were anything but routine for Ronaldo and his teammates.
Al Akhdoud, organized and disciplined, managed to frustrate Al Nassr’s attacking stars early on. The visitors even threatened to snatch a shock lead on the counterattack, only to be denied by a brilliant save from goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi. As the minutes ticked by, tension mounted in the stands—could the underdogs hold out against the league’s most potent attack?
But when you’ve got Cristiano Ronaldo in your squad, magic is never far away. In the 31st minute, the Portuguese superstar pounced on a rebound inside the box after a corner from Joao Felix, calmly slotting home the opener. The stadium erupted. That goal not only broke the deadlock but also seemed to shatter Al Akhdoud’s defensive resolve. From that moment, Al Nassr seized full control of the contest.
It didn’t take long for Ronaldo to double the advantage. Just before halftime, in the 45+2 minute, Marcelo Brozovic whipped in a low cross from the right. Ronaldo, ever the predator, guided it past the helpless Al Akhdoud goalkeeper. By the break, Al Nassr led 2-0, with both goals courtesy of their iconic captain.
"Hard work is the way to success!" Ronaldo declared on his official X account after the match, summing up his relentless pursuit of excellence. With those two strikes, he reached 956 goals in his professional career—an astronomical tally that brings him just 44 shy of the mythical 1,000-goal mark. The football world is left wondering: When will that milestone fall? Perhaps at the 2026 World Cup, as some fans have begun to speculate.
Ronaldo’s brace also had immediate implications for the Saudi Pro League’s Golden Boot race. He now shares the top spot with his Al Nassr teammate Joao Felix, both sitting on 12 goals after 10 matches. Felix, not to be outdone, capped off the evening by netting Al Nassr’s third in stoppage time, finishing off a slick cutback from Sultan Al Boushal in the 90+4 minute. The final whistle confirmed a 3-0 victory for the hosts.
With this latest triumph, Al Nassr extended their league winning streak to a remarkable ten consecutive matches—a new club record. Their dominance has been built not just on attack but on a rock-solid defense, having conceded just five goals all season. The win also preserved their position atop the league table, moving them to 30 points, four clear of nearest rivals Al Hilal.
Al Nassr’s journey this season has been impressive. Before the winter break, their run of nine straight league wins was interrupted on November 23. However, after returning to official action in the AFC Champions League with a victory against Al Zawraa, they wasted no time getting back to business domestically. Saturday’s matchup against lowly Al Akhdoud was seen as the perfect opportunity to regain momentum—and they did so in style, despite some early resistance from their opponents.
Al Akhdoud, for their part, showed flashes of promise. Early in the match, Narey led a counterattack that forced Al-Aqidi into action, and the visitors continued to look for openings on the break. But Al Nassr’s quality and depth told in the end. The hosts made several tactical substitutions in the second half, bringing on fresh legs like Al Hassan and Al Najdi to maintain their high tempo. Al Akhdoud’s Al Harthi and Al Rabiei picked up yellow cards as frustration grew, but the gulf in class was evident as the match wore on.
Ronaldo’s individual brilliance continues to set new benchmarks. According to Argentine journalist Pablo Giralt, after his second goal against Al Akhdoud, Ronaldo became the first player in history to score 40 or more goals in 14 different calendar years. It’s a testament to his longevity and consistency at the very highest level. In 2025 alone, he has already netted 40 goals across all competitions, following up on tallies of 54 and 43 in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The numbers are staggering. With 956 career goals, Ronaldo stands as one of the game’s all-time greats, and his hunger for more is undiminished. The Saudi Pro League has provided him with a new stage, and he’s making the most of it—both in terms of personal milestones and team success. As he edges closer to the 1,000-goal barrier, the football world watches with anticipation. Every match feels like a step toward history.
After the match, the mood in the Al Nassr camp was buoyant. The team’s focus now shifts to their final fixture of the year, an away clash against Al Ettifaq on Tuesday, December 30. With momentum firmly on their side and Ronaldo in imperious form, Al Nassr will be confident of closing out 2025 on a high note. For their fans, the dream of a league title—and witnessing Ronaldo’s march to 1,000 goals—feels tantalizingly close.
For Al Akhdoud, the defeat leaves them mired near the foot of the table, with plenty of work ahead if they are to avoid relegation. But for Al Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo, Saturday’s victory was another chapter in a remarkable story—one that shows no signs of slowing down.
The Saudi Pro League is back, and with Ronaldo leading the charge, every match is must-see entertainment. As 2025 winds down, all eyes will be on Al Nassr’s next steps and Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of football immortality.
