Cristiano Ronaldo is closing in on an unprecedented milestone of 1,000 career goals, having reached 948 so far, maintaining an extraordinary average of over 50 goals per calendar year since 2010.
The Portuguese star is projected to become the first footballer in recorded history to score 1,000 in October, based on his current scoring rate, Sky Sports’ “Between the Lines” predicted.
CR7 already made another scoring record after becoming the top scorer in the World Cup qualifying history with his double in Portugal’s 2-2 draw against Hungary on Tuesday night.
Portuguese star tops World Cup qualifiers with 41 goals, surpassing former Guatemala striker Carlos Ruiz’s 39 and Argentina’s Lionel Messi’s 36.
Ronaldo, who turned 40 in February, scored a total of 948 career goals following a record 143 goals in 225 games for Portugal in addition to 805 in 1,068 games at the club level. He continued scoring goals on both international and club levels.
With Al-Nassr, the football star scored 104 goals in 117 appearances across four seasons, with 32 goals already for club and country in 2025.
This consistency in scoring goals makes Ronaldo prominent as he has averaged more than 50 goals per calendar year since 2010.
Ronaldo’s highest scoring year was 2013, when he scored 69 goals and won the Ballon d’Or.
Amazingly, his total has only dropped below 39 goals once in a calendar year in the last decade and a half, increasing chances of more records.
As Portugal nears World Cup qualification and Ronaldo continues his Al-Nassr stint, projections suggest he could make history by netting his 1,000th career goal by October 2026, if he maintains his current scoring pace.
Ronaldo also tops Forbes’ latest list with a staggering $280 million in earnings this year, maintaining his stranglehold on football’s financial summit after the 40-year-old signed a two-year contract extension with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
The Portuguese forward, who became the first footballer to reach billionaire status and had topped the world’s highest-paid athletes list for three consecutive years in May, is inching closer to scoring 1,000 career goals.
Ronaldo’s 948 goals — a complete breakdown
Ronaldo’s opener against Hungary marked his 181st strike with his left foot, followed by his 608th with his right, according to Sky Sports.
The performance underlined his versatility in attack — a threat equally potent in the air, with 157 headers accounting for around 17% of his total goals.
His scoring record shows remarkable balance across home, away, and neutral grounds. Among his 948 goals, 178 have come from the penalty spot, while 135 were struck from outside the box — including 64 direct free-kicks.
Competition-wise, La Liga remains his most prolific arena, yielding 311 goals during his nine seasons with Real Madrid.
