Ronaldo's 1,000th goal: Experts reveal when it could happen
Photo: Cristiano Ronaldo keeps scoring (Getty Images)
The legendary Cristiano Ronaldo is closing in on a historic milestone of 1,000 career goals. Analysts calculated when the Portuguese star could reach this unique record, reports Sky Sports.
Ronaldo rewrites history again
In the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Hungary (2:2), the 40-year-old forward scored twice. These goals made him the top scorer in the history of World Cup qualifying matches.
He now has 41 goals in 51 games. The previous record belonged to Carlos Ruiz of Guatemala (39), while Lionel Messi is in third place (36).
948 goals and counting
At this point, Ronaldo has scored 948 goals in his career:
- 805 at club level (in 1,068 matches)
- 143 for the Portugal national team (in 225 games)
Despite his age, he continues to score at an impressive pace. Playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has netted 104 goals in 117 matches over four seasons. In 2025 alone, he has already scored 32 goals for club and country.
Since 2010, the Portuguese forward has averaged more than 50 goals per year, with his most prolific season being 2013, when he scored 69.
When to expect the 1,000th goal
According to analysts' estimates, if Ronaldo maintains his current pace, he could score his 1,000th goal in October 2026.
By that time, he will likely still be playing for Al Nassr and the Portugal national team, which is close to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
How he scores
Ronaldo demonstrates remarkable versatility:
- 608 goals with his right foot
- 181 with his left
- 157 with his head
In addition, he has converted 178 penalties and 64 direct free kicks, and has scored 135 times from outside the box.
Most of his goals came in La Liga (311) over nine seasons with Real Madrid. He remains the all-time top scorer in the Champions League (140 goals) and has scored 103 goals during his two spells with Manchester United.
His favorite opponents
Among clubs, Spanish teams have suffered the most, especially Sevilla (27 goals in 18 matches). Next are Atlético Madrid (25) and Barcelona (20).
In England, Tottenham have conceded the most (14 goals in 20 games), while among national teams, Luxembourg tops the list (11 goals in 11 matches).
Earlier, we reported how Lunin and Real Madrid stars received their brand-new BMWs.
