Deco has explained why Anthony Gordon was deemed the 'best fit' for Barcelona following his £70million move from Newcastle United this summer.
The Portuguese superstar’s finish against Abha helped extend a goalscoring run that has survived for almost three years, carrying Al-Nassr closer to a piece of world soccer history. Cristiano Ronaldo continues to leave his mark on Saudi soccer, and his latest goal for Al-Nassr has added another remarkable chapter to the club’s recent rise. The Portuguese superstar’s finish against Abha helped extend a goalscoring run that has survived for almost three years, carrying Al-Nassr closer to a piece of world soccer history. Ronaldo scored in the 22nd minute of his side’s 2-1 victory over Abha on September 9, 2026, rising to meet an Angelo corner and sending a downward header toward goal. The ball struck the post before crossing the line, giving Ronaldo his 979th career goal and helping his club recover from its recent defeat to Al-Ittihad. The significance of the goal becomes clearer when looking at the bigger picture. With the strike against Abha, Al-Nassr extended its scoring streak to 93 consecutive league matches, continuing a run that began in December 2023. The club had already secured the domestic record earlier in the 2026-27 campaign. The Knight of Najd became the first team in Saudi Pro League history to score in 89 consecutive matches, surpassing the previous benchmark of 88 held by Al-Hilal. Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al Nassr scores against Abha The streak began on December 8, 2023, when Al-Nassr defeated Al-Riyadh 4-1. Since then, the Riyadh club has found the net in every league fixture, turning what initially looked like a routine run of scoring form into one of the most remarkable streaks in modern domestic soccer. Ronaldo helps Al-Nassr close in on world record Breaking the Saudi record was only part of the story. By scoring against Abha, Al-Nassr reached 93 consecutive league matches with at least one goal, matching the historic mark associated with Argentine giant River Plate. River Plate achieved the same figure between 1936 and 1939, meaning the Saudi club has matched a record that stood for decades. The achievement is particularly striking because Al-Nassr has maintained the run across multiple seasons, managers and squads. The arrival of major international stars has transformed the Saudi Pro League in recent years, but Al-Nassr’s ability to consistently find goals has remained remarkably stable. One more match could make history Al-Nassr is now one scoring game away from taking the world record outright, assuming the 93-match River Plate benchmark is used. That gives every upcoming league fixture an added layer of significance. The club does not need a victory or a particular number of goals to break the mark, as one goal would be enough to move beyond 93 consecutive matches. هكذا ارتقى كريستيانو رونالدو وعاد إلى التسجيل 🚀🐐 #النصر_أبها | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/8sjyifLaPk— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) September 9, 2026 The consistency behind the run has also been a collective achievement. Ronaldo has been central to Al-Nassr’s attacking threat, but the streak has survived because the club has repeatedly found contributions from different players and maintained its ability to score across changing circumstances. For Ronaldo personally, the Abha match was another reminder that age has done little to diminish his influence. At 41 years old, the forward played the entire match and was named Al-Nassr’s man of the match for the second time this season. His latest strike also moved him to 979 career goals, leaving him only 21 away from the extraordinary 1,000-goal milestone.
At 41, the Portuguese star is still producing the kind of headed finishes that have defined some of the most memorable moments of his career, while another piece of soccer history is now firmly within reach. Cristiano Ronaldo keeps finding new ways to add to his extraordinary career numbers, and his latest goal for Al-Nassr has once again put his aerial ability in the spotlight. At 41, the Portuguese star is still producing the kind of headed finishes that have defined some of the most memorable moments of his career, while another piece of soccer history is now firmly within reach. Ronaldo scored in Al-Nassr’s 2-1 victory over Abha on September 9, heading home an Angelo corner in the 22nd minute. The goal was his 979th career strike, moving him closer to the 1,000-goal milestone while also adding another entry to one of the most remarkable statistical chapters of his career. The finish against Abha was classic Ronaldo. He attacked the delivery with perfect timing, generated enough power to beat the goalkeeper and watched as the ball struck the post before crossing the line. The goal also took Ronaldo to 158 headed goals, according to the commonly circulated modern statistical tally. That figure puts him ahead of a long list of legendary forwards and highlights just how unusual his aerial production has been throughout a career that has included Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr. The 41-year-old was also named man of the match for the second time this season, after playing the full 90 minutes. هكذا ارتقى كريستيانو رونالدو وعاد إلى التسجيل 🚀🐐 #النصر_أبها | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/8sjyifLaPk— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) September 9, 2026 So how many more headers does Ronaldo need? This is where the viral claim requires some correction. A social media graphic celebrated Ronaldo as the outright record holder with 158 headed goals, claiming that he had overtaken Celtic legend Jimmy McGrory, who was listed at 157. However, historical compilations provide a different figure for McGrory, with the Scottish great credited with 162 headed goals in the more commonly referenced historical tally. That means Ronaldo is currently four headed goals away from the 162-goal mark attributed to McGrory, according to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). RankPlayerCountryHeader GoalsAppearances1.Jimmy McGroryScotland1625202.Cristiano RonaldoPortugal1581,3343.Fred RobertsEngland1343204.Mario JardelBrazil1314655.Jared BorgettiMexico1266606.Telmo ZarraSpain1223737.Carlos SantillanaSpain1217018.Hakan SukurTurkey118821=Robert LewandowskiPoland1181,020 The distinction matters because there is no universally recognized FIFA database ranking every headed goal scored throughout soccer history. Statistics from the early decades of the 20th century are particularly difficult to verify, meaning totals for players such as McGrory can differ depending on the source and methodology. Ronaldo already in class of his own Even with the historical caveat, Ronaldo’s numbers are extraordinary. The commonly cited top five for headed goals currently has McGrory on 162, Ronaldo on 158, Fred Roberts on 134, Mario Jardel on 132, and Santillana on 129. The gap between Ronaldo and the players immediately behind him shows just how far ahead he is of most of soccer history when it comes to scoring with his head. Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al Nassr scores against Abha What makes Ronaldo’s tally even more impressive is that he has never been a traditional target man whose entire game was built around playing as a penalty-box No. 9. He has spent large portions of his career operating from the wing or as a roaming forward, particularly during his Manchester United and Real Madrid years. His ability to attack crosses from different positions, combined with his leap, timing and movement, turned him into one of the most dangerous aerial players the sport has ever seen.
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