Cristiano Ronaldo's Goal Count Adjusted to 982 After Controversial Ruling

Cristiano Ronaldo's quest for 1,000 career goals has encountered a significant development after Al-Nassr's 3-1 win over Al-Faisaly in the Saudi Pro League. The match, held on October 23, 2026, featured a controversial moment that raised questions about the legitimacy of a goal credited to Ronaldo.

The incident occurred in the 49th minute when Joao Felix's free-kick was met by Ronaldo, who celebrated as the ball entered the net. However, replays suggested that Al-Faisaly defender Andrei Girotto may have touched the ball last, leading some statistical platforms, including Opta, to classify the goal as an own goal, leaving Ronaldo with 981 goals.

After a review by Saudi soccer authorities, the Referees Committee and the league's Compliance Committee confirmed that the goal was indeed Ronaldo's, raising his official tally to 982 goals. This decision aligns with the match referee's initial report. The Saudi Pro League has communicated this ruling to international data providers, although it remains uncertain if all will update their records accordingly. Ronaldo's updated count puts him 18 goals away from the historic milestone.