Can Cristiano Ronaldo Reach 1,000 Career Goals Before the End of 2026?
Cristiano Ronaldo has reached 985 career goals after scoring a hat-trick for Al Nassr. With less than two months left in 2026, can the Portuguese superstar find the 15 goals he needs to make history?
Cristiano Ronaldo is closing in on one of the most extraordinary milestones in soccer history. The Portuguese forward scored a hat-trick in Al Nassr's 5-3 victory over Al Kholood, taking his official career tally to 985 goals. Now, with November and December still to come, he needs just 15 more goals to reach the historic 1,000-goal mark before 2026 ends.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo continues to prove that his goalscoring instincts remain sharp. Against Al Kholood, he struck three times in just 15 minutes during the second half, scoring between the 66th and 81st minutes to complete the 67th hat-trick of his professional career.
The challenge ahead, however, is significant. Based on the published schedule, Ronaldo could have up to 13 matches remaining for Al Nassr and Portugal combined before the end of the year. Reaching four figures would require an exceptional scoring run over the coming weeks.
How Many Goals Does He Need Per Game?
The math is straightforward: Ronaldo needs 15 goals to reach 1,000. If he plays all 13 potential matches, he would need to average 1.15 goals per game.
Scoring once in every fixture would leave him two goals short. That means a couple of braces, another hat-trick or a similar combination of multi-goal performances could make all the difference.
There's also an important uncertainty: Ronaldo isn't guaranteed to feature in all 13 matches. His potential return to the Portugal national team for November's international break remains unclear, leaving his club schedule as the more reliable source of opportunities.
If he plays only the 11 scheduled matches for Al Nassr, the required average rises to 1.36 goals per game, making the challenge even tougher.
Ronaldo's Remaining Matches in 2026
Al Nassr have fixtures scheduled across the Saudi Pro League, continental competitions and domestic cups. Two potential UEFA Nations League appearances with Portugal could provide additional opportunities.
These are the 13 matches included in the published schedule, subject to changes:
November
- November 2: Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr
- November 6: Al Hazem vs. Al Nassr
- November 14: Portugal vs. Denmark
- November 17: Wales vs. Portugal
- November 20: Al Nassr vs. Al Qadsiah
- November 24: Al Nassr vs. Al Sadd
- November 26: Al Nassr vs. Al Shabab
December
- December 1: Al Nassr vs. Al Kholood
- December 3: Al Fayha vs. Al Nassr
- December 8: Al Gharafa vs. Al Nassr
- December 10: Al Nassr vs. Al Hilal
- December 14: Al Fateh vs. Al Nassr
- December 20: Al Nassr vs. Al Kholood
Matches against Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah could prove particularly challenging, while the international fixtures would give Ronaldo two more chances to add to his tally if he is selected.
Can Ronaldo Realistically Reach 1,000 in 2026?
It's mathematically possible, but Ronaldo would need a remarkable finish to the year. His latest hat-trick shows he can still produce explosive scoring performances, although he would almost certainly need more multi-goal games to compensate for any matches in which he fails to score.
According to the tally published after his latest hat-trick, Ronaldo has scored 27 goals in 2026. Reaching 1,000 would require another 15 in less than two months, meaning he would need to add more than half of his current yearly total in a relatively short period.
Fitness, squad rotation and international selection could also affect his chances. Even averaging one goal per game across all 13 fixtures would leave Ronaldo two short of the milestone. And if he misses matches, the required scoring rate will climb even higher.
The opportunity is there, especially for a player who has built his career on defying expectations. But 15 goals in a maximum of 13 games is a demanding target, even by Ronaldo's extraordinary standards.
If he falls short before December 31, the opening months of 2027 could instead provide the stage for one of the most memorable achievements of his career.
Ronaldo's Road to 1,000 Career Goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 985 official career goals, leaving him 15 away from the historic milestone.
- Up to 13 matches remain on the published 2026 schedule, including two potential appearances for Portugal.
- He needs to average 1.15 goals per game across 13 matches, or 1.36 if he plays only Al Nassr's 11 scheduled fixtures.
