Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr Strike Overshadows Saudi Pro League Title Race
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr strike is stealing the spotlight from the Saudi Pro League title race and his pursuit of 1,000 career goals
- Ronaldo’s absence threatens both his historic goal milestone and Al-Nassr’s push for their first league title since 2018/19
- Despite a record-breaking €200 million salary and a new two-year deal, Ronaldo’s protest could negatively affect Al-Nassr this season
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Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr strike in Saudi Arabia has dominated the headlines in recent days, instead of the conversation being about the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League title race and his obsessive ambition of reaching 1,000 career goals.
Fourteen matches remain before the current campaign concludes, with Al Hilal leading with 50 points and Al Ahli SC in second place with three points less.
Source: Getty Images
Al-Nassr, searching for their first league silverware since 2018/19, sit third in the 2025/26 standings with 46 points.
The star Portuguese forward signed for Al-Nassr in December 2022, earning a record-breaking €200 million annually, including a guaranteed €90 million in football wages, with commercial and sponsorship deals taking his total earnings to €200 million, according to The Guardian.
According to The Sun, the ace footballer signed a new two-year deal in June 2025, earning a reported £24.5 million signing-on fee. The report also revealed Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr wages amount to £178 million per year, breaking down to £488,000 per day.
The Portuguese superstar earns £492 million in total, with potential earnings rising above £500 million if he claims his £4 million Golden Boot bonus and the £8 million title-winning incentive.
Source: Twitter
Consequences of Ronaldo’s Saudi strike
Firstly, Ronaldo has long expressed his ambition to become the first footballer in history to reach 1,000 career goals. Currently sitting on 961, every match missed while he is fit could hinder his pursuit of this milestone.
According to Transfermarkt, Cristiano Ronaldo's career tally includes 5 goals for Sporting CP, 145 for Manchester United over two stints, 450 for Real Madrid, 101 at Juventus, 117 for current side Al-Nassr, and 143 for the Portugal national team.
By skipping games, his chances of adding to his haul and ultimately hitting the coveted 1,000-goal mark may be significantly reduced.
Beyond personal goals, his absence affects Al-Nassr on multiple levels. The team loses attacking firepower in key matches, potentially disrupting coach Jorge Jesus’ strategies and lowering squad morale.
To provide context, Ronaldo is his club's leading goalscorer this season with 17 strikes, and losing such a reliable source of goals in the most crucial part of the league campaign can certainly affect Al-Nassr.
World’s top-earning athletes in 2025
YEN.com.gh recently reported that Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed the top spot as the world’s highest-paid athlete. Close behind him is boxing sensation Canelo Álvarez, with Inter Miami star Lionel Messi in third place.
Among footballers, Karim Benzema was the only other player to feature in the top 10 of the 100-athlete global earnings list, underscoring Ronaldo’s unmatched financial clout in international sport.
Source: YEN.com.gh
