Not much time left Yesterday, yesterday and today Cristiano Ronaldo has been scoring again

Forty-one year old (or almost, his birthday is on February 5) Cristiano Ronaldo, is, officially, refusing to grow older. And to finish his footballing career, until he scores his 1000th goal. There are 958 and counting, and the most recent one happened on January 8, 2026, against Al-Qadisiyah (1:2). Today, is yet another chance.
As we reported earlier, Cristiano and his team had denied that he was hunting down the goal of 1000. Here are some of his quotes from April 2025, when there were 69 goals between him and the magic number: “I am not chasing the 1000th ball. If it happens — great. If not — no problem. The main thing is the current moment, not what may happen next.”
Roberto Martinez, coach of the Portuguese national team, shared similar ideas: “Cristiano is at a wonderful period of his career. He reached this point, thanks to living in the present: he has, for instance, played 1000 matches. His secret: he constantly improves and enjoys each day. When he reaches 1000 goals, it will be a result of his approach to the game. I do not think it is something he is focusing on.”

Cristiano’s statements – mirror.co.uk

However, towards the end of 2025, the direction of Cristiano’s statements, began to change. “They tell me: ‘Time to stop. You have done everything, achieved everything. What about 1000 goals?’ I don’t agree,” Cris explained in an October interview with A Bola. “I believe I am still doing fine, helping my team and national team. Therefore, why not continue?”
Here are his words at the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony: “You know what I am working for now. I want to win as many trophies as possible and I want to reach the number that you all know. I will definitely do it, if I do not get injured. Whether I play in the Middle East or in Europe, I love playing football and I always want to continue. I am still moving forward with passion, dedication, and a desire for success, just as I have always, to achieve my objectives.”
There are few doubts — if nothing tragic happens, the 1000 goals mark will be conquered by Cristiano. The question is when exactly. In 2026 or still later?
In the calendar year of 2025, he scored 41 goals. This is already the 14th year of the star’s career with 40+ and the first since 2008 without a single hat-trick. But that’s minor details. The most important thing is the total number. Now he needs to score 42.
In October 2025, experts from Sky Sports, using the Portuguese player’s scoring speed, forecasted his goal milestone for October 2026. Their colleagues from Record asked Ronaldo to dream big and imagine a perfect world, where the great mark would be achieved in the World Cup final. If there is a maximalist that fits the bill better than anyone else, it is Cristiano. However, even he sceptically evaluated such possibility: “You seem to have seen too many films; it would be too perfect. Of course, I would love that. Everything you described would certainly delight me.”
Let’s calculate. Since transferring to Saudi Arabia, Cris scores, on average, every 99.15 minutes — 108 goals in 122 matches for Al-Nassr. If he keeps up this tempo, he will need another 4165 minutes or, in terms of matches, approximately 47 startings.
Al-Nassr has 21 more matches in the Saudi league this season. The team will also compete in the CL-2 — the Asian version of the Europa League. But it is not royal work. The aging striker is being preserved for greater deeds.
In the main Asian Champions League, Cristiano played mostly. Taking into account the successes of Al-Nassr (the team should keep a spot among the top three), the club will surely qualify again. Thus, add to Cris’s 2026 agenda, another six group stage matches. Also, 11 league matches in the new season. In total — 38 games and, taking into account Ronaldo’s regularity, about 34-35 goals of the required 42.
Plus or minus seven to eight goals remaining to be scored for the Portuguese national team. Prior to the World Cup, the team will have a series of friendly matches. Exactly how many — unknown. However, no more than five. Besides, it is not clear whether Cristiano will participate in all of them. Right before the 2018 World Cup, Cris took part in three out of five matches, though he was eight years younger. And he scored a double in a match against Egypt (2:1) and won.

Colombia Qualifies for 2026 World Cup After Win Against Bolivia – colombiaone.com

During the tournament, the Portuguese have Colombia, Uzbekistan, and a very obvious outsider — New Caledonia, Jamaica or DR Congo — in the group stage. Nobody doubts Ronaldo and the rest of the team will advance? Even with a draw, or from the third position. Then further — from one to five matches. Do not forget the Nations League — all six rounds, until mid-November. In 2024, in five appearances, Cristiano scored five goals.
Indeed, such considerations seem conditional: you cannot predict whether Cris will remain healthy and how far Portugal will go at the 2026 World Cup. However, the goal seems rather attainable. Improbable as Sky Sports had forecasted, but by the end of the year — why not? With one exception — unless Ronaldo decides to retire from the national team, after the World Cup. If he wants to “conclude” the achievement of the mark precisely in 2026, he will hardly choose to do that.