Cristiano Ronaldo once again demonstrated his unmatched scoring prowess at age 38, notching four goals in his last three games, including his 50th across all competitions in 2023. His recent King’s Cup brace powered Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr past local rivals Al Shabab 5-2 to reach the semi-finals.
Despite trailing league leaders Al Hilal, Ronaldo has amassed 16 goals in 15 Saudi Pro League outings since his blockbuster transfer from Europe. His 50 goals this calendar year match his stellar 2017 tally during his prolific Real Madrid stint. Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down in the twilight years of his illustrious career.
With his 74th senior career brace, Ronaldo moves to 869 total goals for club and country. He recently became the first player to feature in 1,200 professional games. Though he is without a club beyond 2025, the Portuguese legend continues to build his case as the greatest goal machine football has witnessed.
Ronaldo prepares for an emotional reunion, with Al Nassr set to host Inter Miami and former Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi in the Riyadh Season Cup friendly on February 1st, 2024. Their 36 previous El Clasico meetings produced disproportional 16 wins for Messi’s Barcelona compared to 9 for Ronaldo’s Real. Fans eagerly await this battle between aging icons in new colors.
Before his Saudi Pro League campaign resumes against Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq, Ronaldo will eye more milestones in Al Nassr’s semi-final as they chase silverware in his debut domestic cup competition. If his latest exploits prove indicative, more moments of magic await.
