Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of the Saudi club Al Nassr, will not reach the historic milestone of 1000 career goals by the end of the current football season, according to sports analyst Obaidullah Al-Issa. Speaking on the Mortadada podcast, Al-Issa analyzed the remaining playing minutes and scoring rate of the veteran forward, concluding that current statistics fall slightly short of the required target.
Detailed analysis of Ronaldo's scoring rate
According to Al-Issa's calculations, Cristiano Ronaldo has approximately 2,750 minutes of playing time remaining this season. Based on his current scoring frequency of one goal every 150 minutes, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United icon is projected to score around 18 additional goals before the campaign concludes.
Current goal tally and the gap to 1000
Official statistics indicate that Cristiano Ronaldo netted the 980th goal of his professional career during Al Nassr's 3-0 victory over Al-Diriyah on October 9, 2026. This leaves the legendary striker needing 20 goals to achieve the unprecedented 1000-goal milestone. If Al-Issa's projection of 18 goals holds true, Ronaldo would finish the season with 998 goals, agonizingly close at just two goals shy of the record.
Potential factors for extra goals
Despite the cautious prediction, the football analyst outlined several scenarios that could alter the outcome. Additional playing time, deeper tournament runs, or a potential return to the Portugal national team could provide Ronaldo with the extra matches and minutes needed to bridge the gap and reach the historic 1000-goal landmark sooner than expected.
Photo : Bryan Berlin — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
