Cristiano Ronaldo netted a brace as Al Nassr swept Al Hazem 4-0, a result that sent the Saudi club to the top of the Pro League table. The performance also pushed the 41-year-old’s personal tally to 964 career goals — just 36 away from the iconic 1,000-goal mark.

That night also brought another historic moment as Ronaldo became the first player in history to score 500 goals after the age of 30. To appreciate just how extraordinary that is, fewer than 30 players across the entire history of professional football have scored 500 goals in their careers.

Naturally, the question on everyone’s lips is when will the Portuguese superstar reach the four figures. And the most romantic possibility would be at this summer’s World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For Ronaldo, the tournament carries extra weight. By stepping onto the pitch, he will become the first player ever to appear in six World Cups, a milestone he’ll share with Argentine star Lionel Messi, though Ronaldo was already a centrepiece of Portugal’s 2006 campaign while Messi was still finding his feet at the senior level.

The prospect of goal No 1,000 arriving on the World Cup stage is the stuff of footballing fairy tales — and Ronaldo himself has acknowledged it during a recent interview. “You’ve been watching too many movies — that would be way too perfect,” he said, before adding: “Goals are always good to score. I want to play in this next World Cup; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. But one step at a time. If those numbers did come true, I’d end my career on a high.”

From a practical standpoint, the math makes the World Cup milestone difficult. Between now and the tournament, Al Nassr are expected to play roughly 20 official matches, excluding friendlies and potential squad rotation. If Portugal make a deep run, Ronaldo could feature in up to seven or eight World Cup matches — giving him approximately 25 to 30 games before and during the tournament, assuming no injuries.

Impressive form

To reach 1,000 goals before or during the World Cup, Ronaldo would need to average at least one goal per game — possibly more. That requirement exceeds his current scoring rate of roughly 0.74 goals per match, according to ESPN stats.

His recent form is impressive but it also tempers expectations. Across his last 20 matches, he has scored 15 goals, but that doesn’t match the kind of explosive run required to close a 36-goal gap in such a short span.

Historically, Ronaldo has scored just eight goals across five World Cup tournaments, which further highlights the challenge. For the milestone to happen on football’s biggest stage, he would need an extraordinary run of form.

A more realistic projection lies in his typical yearly output. Ronaldo has averaged around 40 goals per calendar year throughout his career. Based on that trend, the most logical window for goal No. 1,000 appears to be late 2026 or early 2027 — rather than at the World Cup itself.

GN

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo wished his fans Ramadan Kareem on Tuesday.

The UAE confirmed the official start date of Ramadan will begin on February 18.

Recently, Ronaldo marked his first match since turning 41 in the best possible way, scoring in Al Nassr’s 2-0 win over Al Fateh on Saturday at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium.

The victory keeps Al Nassr firmly in the Saudi Pro League title race. They are now just one point behind leaders Al Hilal after game week 21.

Making his return to the starting eleven after missing three matches amid a dispute with club management, Ronaldo wasted little time reminding everyone of his value.

In the 18th minute, Sadio Mane delivered a sharp cross into the box and Ronaldo met it first time, guiding the ball into the bottom right corner. It was a calm and clinical finish, the kind that has defined his career for more than two decades.

Al Nassr controlled most of the game after taking the lead. They sealed the win in the 78th minute when Ayman Yahya struck a fine second goal to secure all three points for the visitors.

Al Nassr will aim to extend their winning streak when they face Al Hazem on February 21. With Ronaldo back among the goals and fully focused on football again, the Riyadh giants remain the biggest challenge to Al Hilal in the race for the Saudi Pro League crown.

GN

Argentine star Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami’s training session on Wednesday due to strain in his left hamstring, prompting the American soccer league champions to postpone their friendly match in Puerto Rico.

The Argentine star and captain of Inter Miami was injured during the 2-2 draw with Barcelona Guayaquil in Ecuador last Saturday.

Messi underwent further tests to determine the extent of the injury.

“Unfortunately, I felt some muscle tightness in the last match,” Messi said in a team statement.

The return date of the Qatar 2022 World Cup champion remains uncertain, as the club stated that his gradual return to training “will depend on the improvement of his health and functional condition in the coming days.”

The defending champions will kick off their 2026 league campaign against Los Angeles FC on February 21.

Inter Miami was scheduled to play against Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle on Friday in Puerto Rico, but the team announced the postponement of the match to February 26, three days before its game against rival Orlando in the American league.

Messi, winner of eight Ballon d’Or awards for the world’s best player, continued, addressing the Puerto Rican fans: “We were really looking forward to seeing you. So we worked with the club to find an alternative date so we could travel and play in Puerto Rico.”

He concluded by saying, “We know how excited and eager you are to watch the Inter Miami match, and we would be delighted if that happens soon

Asharq -Al Awsat