Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first to score 500 goals after 30, celebrates in Bisht on Saudi Founding Day
Portuguese forward closes in on 1,000 career tally
DUBAI – Cristiano Ronaldo ensured Saturday night in Riyadh was far more than a routine league fixture.
The 41-year-old forward scored twice in a commanding 4-0 victory over Al Hazem, guiding Al Nassr back to the summit of the Saudi Pro League and reaching a landmark unmatched in football history. In doing so, he became the first player ever to score 500 career goals after turning 30.
The occasion at Al Awwal Park combined records, title implications and a celebration of Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day. Ronaldo, draped in a traditional bisht at full time, stood at the centre of it all.
500 goals after turning 30
Ronaldo began the match on 499 goals scored after his 30th birthday. The milestone arrived in the 13th minute when he met a precise pass from Kingsley Coman and finished calmly to bring up number 500 in this phase of his career.
He was not finished. In the 79th minute, the Portuguese forward struck again, completing his brace and pushing the post-30 tally to 501 goals. Remarkably, he has now scored significantly more goals after turning 30 than before it, having netted 463 in his younger years.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 184 left-footed goals in his career. pic.twitter.com/MVWhDJl4UN
— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) February 22, 2026
The distribution of those 501 goals underlines the longevity of his elite performance. He scored 162 of them with Real Madrid, 101 with Juventus, 27 during his second spell at Manchester United, 91 for the Portugal national football team, and 120 so far with Al Nassr.
The figures challenge conventional expectations of decline in a player’s mid-thirties. Instead, Ronaldo’s output has intensified, supported by rigorous conditioning and relentless consistency.
His latest brace also took his overall official career tally to 964 goals. The long-stated ambition of reaching 1,000 now stands 36 strikes away.
Title race
Beyond personal milestones, the result carried significant weight in the championship battle. Al Nassr’s victory, coupled with Al Hilal’s 1-1 draw against Al Ittihad in the Saudi Clasico, lifted the Riyadh club back to first place for the first time in 10 rounds.
After 23 matches, Al Nassr sit on 55 points. Al Hilal trail by a single point on 54, while Al Ahli remain firmly in contention two points behind the leaders. Al Qadsiah are four points off the summit.
Saturday’s win marked Al Nassr’s eighth consecutive league victory. Equally striking is their defensive record: six successive matches without conceding a goal. That resilience has reshaped the complexion of the title race heading into the decisive stretch of the campaign.
Here’s how the game against Al Hazem unfolded.pic.twitter.com/xyEPXOyS7L
— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) February 22, 2026
Ronaldo’s brace moved him to 20 league goals this season. He now sits within one of Julián Quiñones and three behind current Golden Boot leader Ivan Toney, as he pursues a third successive scoring crown.
The 10-time league champions have not lifted the domestic title since his arrival in December 2022. Their only silverware in that period remains the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. This season, however, they are also through to the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup, adding further incentive to maintain momentum on multiple fronts.
Saudi Founding Day
At full time, Ronaldo’s celebration reflected both sporting triumph and cultural appreciation. Wearing a traditional Saudi bisht, he led the Viking clap in front of the Al Awwal Park crowd, aligning the victory with Founding Day festivities across the Kingdom.
The trademark Al Nassr celebration at FT ????
— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) February 22, 2026
pic.twitter.com/esdhf9DI2M
Speaking after the match to Saudi broadcaster Thmanyah, he dismissed recent speculation about his future and reaffirmed his commitment to the club and country. “I’m very happy,” he said. “As I say so many times, I belong to Saudi Arabia. It’s a country that welcomed me very well, me and my family and my friends. I’m happy here. I want to continue here.”
“The most important thing is we keep pushing,” he added. “We are at the top. We do our job, we win, make pressure. Let’s see at the end of the season.”
Later, he reinforced the message on social media: “Back where we belong. Now back to work.”
Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia shortly after his contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual agreement, signing a deal widely reported to be worth £177m annually, making him the highest-paid player in football history.
As the season progresses, the margins at the top remain slender. With only a two-point cushion separating the top three, every fixture carries added intensity. For Al Nassr, the combination of defensive solidity and Ronaldo’s enduring scoring touch has propelled them into pole position.
Al Nassr’s attacking quartet this season (all competitions):
— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) February 22, 2026
???????? Cristiano Ronaldo
24 Apps | 21 Goals | 3 Assists
???????? Joao Felix
33 Apps | 19 Goals | 11 Assists
???????? Sadio Mane
23 Apps | 8 Goals | 7 Assists
???????? Kingsley Coman
28 Apps | 9 Goals | 10 Assists pic.twitter.com/QvDvmBZ3HY
The chase for the title continues, with the race finely balanced and the stakes rising with each passing week.