So, guess what? Cristiano Ronaldo just nailed his 1,200th pro match, and man, did he do it in style! Playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he led his squad to a smashing 4-1 victory over Al Riyadh last Friday.
The milestone was acknowledged by the Saudi Pro League, which posted on the X platform, stating, “Cristiano Ronaldo has now played in 1,200 professional matches.”
This remarkable achievement propels the former Real Madrid star closer to the record held by Peter Shilton for the most official appearances by a male player.
Al Nassr vs Al Riyadh
At 38, Ronaldo didn’t waste any time making waves. He smashed in a goal just after the half-hour mark, casually tapping in a beauty from Sadio Mane. Mane had a goal disallowed early on, but he shrugged it off and played a key role in Al Nassr’s triumph.
With that goal, Ronaldo’s total is now a whopping 868 in his legendary career, making him the top scorer in the league. In this season alone, he’s bagged 16 goals in 16 matches, helping his team bounce back from a recent 3-0 setback against Al Hilal.
Expressing gratitude on social media, Ronaldo posted, “Three more points! Thankful to all my teammates who helped me reach my 1,200th match. What a ride, but we’re not done yet!”
Ronaldo didn’t just stop at scoring; three minutes into injury time in the first half, he sets up Otavio for a killer header. Talk about versatility and playmaking!
The second half was a show by Al Nassr’s Brazilian ace, Talisca, who netted two goals to seal the deal. Al Riyadh managed a consolation goal from Andre Gray, but let’s be real, it was no match for Al Nassr’s dominance.
With this win, Al Nassr is sitting pretty in second place with 37 points, just seven behind leaders Al Hilal. Meanwhile, Al Riyadh is chilling in 14th place with 16 points.
Ronaldo’s inching closer to Peter Shilton’s record of 1,390 competitive men’s pro games. Some stats sites say it’s 1,390, but Shilton himself on X feed says it’s 1,387.
Can Ronaldo smash Shilton’s record in the next few years? Time’s the only teller here, but one thing’s for sure: Ronaldo ain’t slowing down anytime soon.