With a stunning header in Al Nassr's game against Abha in the SPL, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 979th goal of his career. Al Nassr hosted Abha on Wednesday for Matchday 6 of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season, aiming to bounce back following their first defeat of the campaign. With the scoreline still level in the early stages, Cristiano Ronaldo broke the deadlock with a commanding header. Despite controlling possession and generating the clearest chances against the newly promoted side, Al Nassr initially struggled to turn their dominance into goals. Ronaldo failed to hit the target on his opening two attempts before finally making his mark on the match. In the 22nd minute, Angelo delivered a precise corner kick into the box, allowing Ronaldo to rise above his defender near the six-yard box. Connecting with power, he drove his header into the far post, past the reach of goalkeeper Donovan Leon. هدف! ⚽️كريستيانو رونالدو لا يتأخر طويلًا، ويسجل أول أهداف النصر في شباك أبها 🔥🐐 #النصر_أبها | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/0Rym2wHWND— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) September 9, 2026 The strike against Abha marked Ronaldo’s third goal through five appearances in the 2026-27 campaign and his 132nd overall in an Al Nassr uniform, demonstrating his ongoing efficiency at age 41. With a final 2-1 result, Al Nassr returned to the top of the standings, level with Al Hilal at 15 points apiece. Ronaldo still closing in on 1,000-goal mark Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines weeks ago by suggesting the 2026-27 campaign could mark his final season as a professional. That admission turned sharp focus toward what the Portuguese legend can accomplish before retiring, with one overarching milestone remaining: reaching 1,000 career official goals. The header against Abha represented the 979th career goal for Ronaldo, leaving him 21 strikes shy of becoming the first player in modern soccer history to reach 1,000 official goals. While a demanding target, his current scoring pace keeps the milestone well within reach over the remainder of the campaign. Averaging 0.60 goals per match with three goals through five appearances for Al Nassr this season, a linear projection indicates Ronaldo would require approximately 35 additional matches to produce the 21 goals needed to reach four digits. Given the volume of fixtures across competitions, Ronaldo will have ample opportunities to close the gap before the end of the 2026-27 campaign. Between SPL, King’s Cup, and AFC Champions League Elite action, Al Nassr have at least 37 scheduled fixtures remaining, complemented by UEFA Nations League fixtures with Portugal that expand his runway beyond 40 matches.
We assess the standing of the players on the shortlist for the award before the winner is announced in October1) Harry Kane (England/Bayern Munich)Even adjusting for the goal-drunken Bundesliga, his 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern last season undersells his all-around impact, considering his playmaking and hold-up skills. Kane was gameplanned out of England’s later games at the World Cup, but he was unstoppable through the last 16 to close out the finest year of his career to date. If not now, when? Continue reading...
Bayern Munich director Max Eberl has spoken out on the future of Michael Olise amid ongoing transfer links with the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid. Olise has been linked with Liverpool by TEAMtalk and others in recent times, and it’s hard to think of a better option to replace the legendary Mohamed Salah on that right-hand […] The post “We should know by next summer” – Club chief’s important update on Liverpool transfer target appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Football Australia has power to suspend him from national teamStriker has maintained his innocence over failed drugs test Cristian Volpato’s immediate availability for the Socceroos rests in the hands of Football Australia after NSW Police confirmed the World Cup star had tested positive for cocaine on a secondary test.Volpato was pulled over by police on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge on 24 July and returned a positive roadside reading for cocaine. Continue reading...
Alexis Mac Allister admitted feeling "very sad" that Liverpool has yet to offer him a contract extension. Alexis Mac Allister addressed his contract situation at Liverpool, revealing that the club has not offered him an extension yet. The Argentine midfielder, who still has two years remaining on his current deal through June 2028, spoke to reporters ahead of the Reds‘ Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid at Anfield. “I received the news that the club wasn’t in a position to offer me a new contract, which, of course, makes me very, very sad,” Mac Allister said, pointing to his consistent effort in training and matches as reason to feel he deserved better clarity on his future. The situation carries an added sting given that two of his midfield teammates, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, both signed contract extensions earlier this year. Mac Allister made clear he was happy for both players but admitted the contrast in how their situations were handled left him feeling overlooked, even as he reiterated his commitment to give his best for the club regardless of the outcome. A moment for Macca's #IPSLIV performance 👏🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/fCItal1hYF— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 7, 2026 Despite the frustration, Mac Allister insisted he has no intention of forcing a move away from Liverpool, noting that he turned down other options during the offseason to remain at Anfield. Amid the situation, new head coach Andoni Iraola backed the midfielder in response to his comments, stating that Mac Allister’s desire to stay at the club is what matters most and that he values his contributions highly heading into the new European campaign. The Real Madrid links that shadowed Mac Allister’s summer Mac Allister’s contract situation comes after a summer spent fending off transfer speculation, with Real Madrid repeatedly linked to the Argentine as a top target to strengthen their midfield, and Atletico Madrid also reportedly showing interest at one point. Real Madrid did not sign a player in his position during the summer window, and multiple reports in Spain suggested the club viewed him as a priority option for a future move. Despite the noise, Mac Allister’s father and agent, Carlos Mac Allister, insisted throughout the window that his son remained “totally focused on Liverpool,” a stance the player himself echoed this week by confirming he turned down the chance to leave Anfield over the offseason. Mac Allister’s numbers at Liverpool Since joining from Brighton in mid-2023, Mac Allister has made 152 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and adding 20 assists. He has picked up 32 yellow cards and one red card in that span, while playing a total of 11,144 minutes for the club. The 27-year-old has won two major trophies during his time at Anfield, including the 2024-25 Premier League title.
JACK GAUGHAN IN PORTO: Midfield was clearly the area identified as the one requiring most surgery. Anderson's early displays suggest he is picking up from where he left off with England.
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