RONALDO CLOSES IN ON 1000 GOALS

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again defied expectations with his incredible longevity in the game. The 38-year-old, now playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, recently reached another milestone in his illustrious career by scoring his 927th career goal. With this achievement, Ronaldo is now just 73 goals away from hitting the coveted 1,000 career goals mark, a milestone few players in history have ever reached.

Ronaldo's latest goal came in the AFC Champions League on March 10, when he helped Al Nassr advance to the quarterfinals of the competition. The Portuguese forward has defied age and continues to perform at an elite level, with football statisticians noting that he has scored more goals after turning 30 than he did before.

Of the 927 goals he has scored, 463 have been for Portugal, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, and his first stint at United. The remaining 464 goals have come for Real Madrid, Juventus, his second spell at Manchester United, and Al Nassr.

Many had speculated that the 2022 FIFA World Cup would mark the end of Ronaldo's international career, especially after Portugal's quarterfinal exit to Morocco, where Ronaldo was visibly emotional as he left the pitch. However, the star has continued to prove his critics wrong by returning to top form for Al Nassr. Despite a challenging time at Manchester United, where his contract was terminated due to a falling out with then-manager Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo's resilience has been on full display.

His tenure at United ended controversially after an interview with Piers Morgan, where Ronaldo publicly criticized the club and ten Hag. This fallout resulted in Ronaldo spending much of his final season at Old Trafford on the bench, with his last game for the club coming in a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa, where he also captained the side. Since moving to Al Nassr, Ronaldo has found his stride, scoring 91 goals in 102 matches across all competitions, showcasing his unmatched drive to keep playing at the highest level.

As one of the greatest footballers to ever grace the pitch, Ronaldo’s rivalry with Lionel Messi has captivated football fans around the world for over two decades. The two icons have dominated the sport for years, and despite now playing in different leagues outside of Europe, their rivalry still stirs excitement in the footballing world. With 927 goals already to his name, all eyes are now on whether Ronaldo can achieve the remarkable feat of scoring his 1,000th career goal. As of now, just 73 goals stand between him and that unprecedented milestone.