Cristiano Ronaldo Credited With Disputed Goal in Al Nassr Win Over Al Faisaly

Al Nassr defeated Al Faisaly 3-1 on Friday, though Cristiano Ronaldo's 49th-minute strike is currently disputed by stats providers.

Al Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Al Faisaly in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Abdullah Al-Hamdan opened the scoring with an early lead before a controversial 49th-minute goal doubled the advantage. Ângelo Gabriel added a third late in the match, while Théo Bongonda scored the lone goal for the hosts. The win marks Al Nassr's eighth league victory of the term, keeping them in contention with Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah for the title.

ESPN reports that the Saudi Pro League has credited Cristiano Ronaldo with the second goal, marking the 982nd of his career. The 41-year-old rose to meet a João Félix free kick, but the ball appeared to deflect into the net off Al Faisaly defender Andrei Girotto. While the league recognizes the strike, Opta—ESPN's stats provider—has adjudged the play as an own goal. If the league's ruling stands, Ronaldo remains 18 goals away from the 1,000-goal milestone.

This appearance followed a disciplinary period for Ronaldo, who was recently fined €255 ($286) and handed a 30-day suspension by his national team. The penalty resulted from a dispute with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus. Despite the controversy surrounding the scoring credit, Ronaldo celebrated the moment with his signature "siu" gesture and later posted a celebratory photo to Instagram.