Ronaldo Nears 1,000 Career Goals

The Saudi Pro League is set to begin a new season, with Cristiano Ronaldo nearing a major milestone. The 41-year-old is 24 shy of 1,000 career goals and has scored 102 in 107 league games for Al-Nassr so far.

Background

This is the fourth season since significant spending started, with $957m splashed out in the summer of 2023. The investment delivered thousands of articles and dozens of international broadcasting deals.

Key Details

The league's focus is now on getting value for money and lifting the standard of Saudi Arabian football. The new season kicks off on Thursday, but there is no Mohamed Salah in the league. Ronaldo's pursuit of 1,000 career goals could dominate the next few months.

What It Means

The milestone of 1,000 career goals would be huge for Ronaldo, but how it fits into the league's plans is unclear. The league aims to lift the standard of Saudi Arabian football, not just the clubs, and this season will be a test of that goal.