Cristiano Ronaldo once again reminded the world of his remarkable longevity on Sunday night as the 40-year-old Portuguese star produced a stunning bicycle-kick goal to seal Al Nassr’s 4-1 victory over Al Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League.
The veteran forward, fresh from international duty with Portugal, connected acrobatically with a looping cross from Nawaf Boushal in the 96th minute at Al Awwal Park.
His perfectly executed overhead finish flew past the goalkeeper and drew immediate comparisons with the famous strike he scored for Real Madrid against Juventus in the 2017 Uefa Champions League – a moment many still regard among the finest goals of his glittering career.
Ronaldo’s latest show of athletic brilliance came at the end of a week that underlined the contrasting emotions of his international commitments. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward was sent off in Portugal’s recent clash with Republic of Ireland, yet still celebrated his country’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Should he feature at the tournament, it would mark a record sixth appearance on football’s biggest stage.
The strike also strengthens what is rapidly becoming a compelling case for the 2026 Puskas Award. Ronaldo was the first winner of the honour in 2009 and remains a regular contender more than a decade later.
Domestically, Ronaldo’s form this season has been impressive. His goal against Al Khaleej takes him to nine goals and one assist from just eight league matches, helping Al Nassr open a four-point lead over rivals Al Hilal at the top of the Saudi Pro League table. While he has yet to lift a trophy with the club since arriving in 2023, the current campaign is shaping up as his best opportunity to change that.
Now on 954 career goals, Ronaldo continues his pursuit of the unprecedented 1,000-goal milestone – a figure that would cement his legacy in the history of football.
Surprise package Al Tawooun remain third after a 1-1 draw with NEOM. The game pushed past the 90 minutes of regulation time when former West Ham United winger Said Benrahma scored from the penalty spot to give the visitors the lead in the 95th minute.
There was more drama though as Tawooun were awarded a penalty of their own in the 107th minute of the game. Waleed Al Ahmad held his nerve to dispatch the spot kick to earn Tawooun a point that leaves them five points behind leaders Nassr.
Al Shabab's disappointing start to the campaign continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Al Okhdood, a result that leaves Imanol Alguacil's side 13th in the 18-team table,
