Christiano Ronaldo’s 982nd Goal in Question After Controversial Judgement Mid-Match

Cristiano Ronaldo looked set to take another big step towards football history with his 982nd career goal for Al Nassr. But a twist has put the milestone under the spotlight. The Saudi Pro League first credited Ronaldo with the goal, but a scoring controversy has now started a debate over whether Ronaldo actually scored the goal.

According to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, reported by Fanzword, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referees Committee will review the goal to decide who scored it. Another report from a website called Notizia Scommesse said the matter was sent to FIFA for its opinion. The final decision could affect Ronaldo’s official career goal count and how many more goals he needs to reach 1,000.

Al Nassr faced Al Faisaly on October 23, 2026, in the 11th round of the Saudi Pro League. Al Nassr won the match 3-1. However, the team’s second goal became a talking point after a disputed touch before the ball went in.

In the 49th minute, Ronaldo headed Joao Felix’s free-kick towards goal, but replays show that Al Faisaly defender Andrei Girotto also appeared to touch it. The ball went in, and Ronaldo celebrated what seemed like his 982nd career goal.

Unfortunately, while the Portuguese icon celebrated, questions have since arisen about who touched the ball last. As per Goal.com, the Saudi Pro League credited the goal to Ronaldo based on the match referee Abdullah Al-Owaidan’s report. However, ESPN’s goal tracker showed that Opta, its statistics provider, recorded it as an own goal by Girotto.

The discrepancy led Saudi football authorities to review the incident. According to Arriyadiyah, the Saudi Pro League’s compliance committee asked for the referee’s report before deciding whether to change the scorer’s name. Tariq Kayal, the chairman of the league’s compliance committee, further explained the process.

“We are waiting for the referee’s statement on Monday, and we will study all the reports. If we are convinced by them, we will decide whether to uphold or reject the decision, thus awarding the goal with the correct ruling, and then submit it to the league for final approval,” Tariq said, reported by Arriyadiyah.

Separately, a report from Saudi outlet Midan Al Yaum said that the refereeing department’s technical committee had finished its meeting and sent the matter to FIFA for its opinion.

This suggests that the issue has gone beyond the original match report. However, no official announcement has confirmed the exact status of the FIFA referral or a final ruling.

There is no confirmed deadline for FIFA to respond. As a result, it is unclear whether the matter will be settled before Al Nassr’s next match or take longer. If officials continue to credit Ronaldo with the goal, his career tally will remain at 982. 

However, if officials change the decision and record the strike as an own goal, Ronaldo’s tally will fall to 981. He will then need 19 more goals to reach the milestone of 1,000 goals. 

The main question is which record the authorities will accept. The referee’s report, the league’s official records and football statistics websites may not always show the same information at the same time.

An official announcement from the Saudi authorities would help clear up the confusion.

Ronaldo’s 1,000-goal mission faces an unexpected twist

The controversy comes at a key stage in Ronaldo’s career. At 41, the Al Nassr captain continues to chase 1,000 career goals. He is closing in on a historic milestone, and the Portuguese superstar has made his ambitions clear. Despite the pressure, he remains confident he will reach 1,000 goals.

So much so that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has repeatedly expressed confidence in reaching 1,000 career goals. This makes the debate over his disputed goal against Al Faisaly even more important.

“My goal is twofold: the 1000th goal and winning the Nations League,” Ronaldo said, Balkanweb reported. “I know I’ll get there, but it’s not an obsession. The rest is about enjoying the game, but yes, I really want to set that record.” 

His confidence was equally clear in December 2025. 

“You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number (1,000 goals) that you all know,” Ronaldo told reporters while speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. “I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries.”

In fact, earlier in October, after 980th career goal, Ronaldo even shared a message on social media

“Job done. On to the next one!” Ronaldo wrote on social media, reported by SPL. 

Now, Cristiano Ronaldo’s pursuit of 1,000 career goals hinges, in part, on whether officials uphold the decision to credit him with his disputed strike against Al Faisaly. Until the review is resolved, the 41-year-old’s tally remains under scrutiny, adding an unexpected complication to his record chase.

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