Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his brilliance once again, scoring two goals to lead Al Nassr to a decisive 3-1 victory over Al Khaleej during their Saudi Pro League clash on January 21, 2025. This match marked Ronaldo's remarkable achievement, as he reached 100 goals for the club, drawing him closer to the coveted milestone of 1,000 career goals.
The match, held at Al Khaleej's home ground, became pivotal for Al Nassr as they sought to climb the league table after recent mixed results. Tension mounted when Saeed Al Hamsal, playing for the home team, was shown a red card just before halftime, reducing Al Khaleej to ten players. This significant moment opened the door for Al Nassr to dominate the game during the second half.
Despite the numerical advantage, the first half ended scoreless, with both teams struggling to create clear scoring opportunities. The deadlock was finally broken at the 65th minute when Ronaldo received the ball from his teammate Otavio. Without hesitation, the Portuguese superstar unleashed a powerful shot positioned near the edge of the area, placing it skillfully past the Al Khaleej goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Just when the game appeared under control for Al Nassr, the home side managed to equalize from the penalty spot. Konstantinos Fortounis stepped up to score, placing the ball past the opposing keeper and bringing the score to 1-1 at the 80-minute mark. Yet, the match turned again just one minute later. Sultan Al Ghanam capitalized on Al Khaleej's defensive disarray, netting another goal for Al Nassr after receiving a perfect pass from Marcelo Brozovic, restoring their lead to 2-1.
Ronaldo was not finished yet. He sealed the game with his second goal deep in stoppage time, at the 98th minute, after being perfectly positioned to tap the ball home following another strong offensive play by Al Nassr. His double struck again reminded everyone of his indelible impact on the team and the league.
With this performance, Cristiano Ronaldo now boasts 101 total contributions to goals (including assists) since joining Al Nassr, all within just 92 matches. He has climbed to the top of the league's scoring charts this season, now having netted 13 goals — leading by one over Aleksandar Mitrovic of Al Hilal.
Ronaldo's overall career count has now reached 919 goals, marking 81 goals left to hit the historic 1,000 mark. Even as he approaches his 40th birthday, there’s no sign of slowing down. His accomplishments not only affirm his status as one of football's all-time greats but also as the present star of Saudi football.
This victory places Al Nassr firmly back on track as they chase for the championship against formidable rivals such as Al Hilal and Al Ittihad. The pressure remains, but with Ronaldo leading the charge, fans are left with much anticipation for what is to come.