Cristiano Ronaldo has moved another step closer to his extraordinary ambition of scoring 1,000 career goals after another match-winning performance in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo's Landmark Double for Al-Nassr
On Saturday afternoon, the Portuguese superstar netted a decisive brace for Al-Nassr in their 3-0 victory over Al Akhdoud. These two crucial strikes took his astonishing career tally to 956 official goals. Remarkably, this performance also pushed his total for the 2024 calendar year to 40 goals, marking the fourteenth different year in which he has surpassed the 40-goal threshold.
Following the match, Ronaldo took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to share a motivational message with his 105 million followers. "Hard work is the path to success!" he wrote, encapsulating the ethos behind his enduring career.
The GOAT Debate and Relentless Pursuit of Greatness
Ronaldo's latest feat prompted ardent supporter and broadcaster Piers Morgan to reignite the debate about football's greatest. Sharing footage of the double online, Morgan declared Ronaldo the sport's ultimate goalscorer. "He never stops scoring. Anywhere in the world, with any team," Morgan stated. "People can debate who is the football GOAT, but there is no debate about the best and most relentless goalscorer the sport has ever seen. It's Cristiano Ronaldo."
The 39-year-old's most prolific scoring year remains 2013, when he found the net an incredible 63 times for club and country. His current form for Al-Nassr is formidable, with 12 goals in just nine appearances this Saudi Pro League season. The weekend's win was Al-Nassr's tenth consecutive three-point haul, placing them just four points off the league summit.
The Rigorous Regime Behind the Records
Ronaldo's ability to perform at the highest level well into his late thirties is no accident. It is the product of a fanatical dedication to fitness and nutrition that few can match. In a recent interview, he revealed he believes he has one or two years left at the top before retirement, and his regimen is designed to maximise that time.
His weekly routine includes five gym sessions, regular swimming, and Pilates. A typical day involves three to four hours of training, blending high-intensity sprint work, 25-30 minutes of cardio, and specific weight training to maintain muscle strength.
Perhaps just as distinctive is his dietary approach. Abandoning the traditional three-meals-a-day model, Ronaldo fuels his body with six smaller 'mini-meals' throughout the day: breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and a late supper.
This unwavering commitment, coupled with his undiminished hunger for goals, makes the landmark of 1,000 career goals appear increasingly inevitable. With an eye on next year's FIFA World Cup in the United States for a potential fairy-tale finale, Ronaldo's relentless drive continues to rewrite the history books.
