Century Man: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Top 10 RSL Goals

As if there wasn’t enough importance on Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal at Al Shabab given the context of the Roshn Saudi League title race, there was also extra personal meaning for the Portuguese superstar.

Now more than three years since he first arrived in Riyadh to don Al Nassr’s iconic yellow kit, the 41-year-old has notched up a century of goals in the RSL – a remarkable feat given he has done so in only 105 matches.

In true Ronaldo style, he has treated us to some absolute crackers during his time in the Kingdom.

So, to celebrate the Al Nassr captain bringing up his century, we look back at 10 of his best thus far. Sit back and enjoy, then cast your vote as to which is your favourite!

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Thatbicycle-kick (Al Khaleej 2025-26)

To go with Al Nassr's flying to start the 2025-26 season, Ronaldo literally flew in the air, defying both gravity and age, to produce a bicycle-kick so perfect you could hardly believe your eyes.

What might be the best part is full-back Nawaf Boushal, who provided the cross, celebrating just as Ronaldo contorted his body for the audacious attempt – clearly, he knew what was coming!

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Volleyed Perfection (Al Riyadh 2024-25)

Going back to last season, Ronaldo’s first-time volley in a 2-1 win against Al Riyadh was as technically perfect as his bicycle-kick was acrobatic.

As Al Nassr sought to keep alive their faint title hopes, and with scores locked at 1-1, Sadio Mane drove into the penalty area only to see his cut-back repelled by Ahmed Asiri.

However, Asiri’s looping clearance fell to Ronaldo, who produced a thunderous volley into the top corner to seal a vital 2-1 win. Justifiably, it was voted the 2024-25 RSL Goal of the Season.

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The 30-yard lob (Al Okhdood 2023-24)

Back in November 2023, Al Okhdood came to Riyadh and, having scored only three minutes earlier, Ronaldo produced a sumptuous, lobbed effort from all of 35 yards to clinch a 3-0 win.

With goalkeeper Paulo Vitor’s attempted clearance falling straight to the Al Nassr captain, Ronaldo took one touch on the chest to bring it down and then looped the ball over Vitor and every defender. The result? It landed inch-perfectly in the back of the net.

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Long-range screamer (Al Fateh 2025-26)

Back to this season and, in October, Al Fateh paid a visit to Riyadh. With the game at 1-1 approaching the hour mark, Ronaldo is fed the ball right on the pointed edge of the area.

With his quick feet, he takes one touch to create space before firing home a curled screamer into the top corner that gave Al Fateh goalkeeper Amin Al Bukhari no chance. It prompted an Al Nassr onslaught that saw them run out 5-1 victors.

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Free-kick verve (Damac 2023-24)

We’ve all seen this movie before.

A free-kick around 25 yards from goal. Ronaldo in his famed "power stance" over the ball before dipping a perfect drive up and over the wall that leaves the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

The Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus great has scored many a free-kick throughout his incredible career, with some making this list. Yet few were as good as this in front of the Al Nassr home fans as it secured a 2-1 win. Ronaldo would go on to break the RSL record for goals in a single season.

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Precision and power (Al Khaleej 2023-24)

Ronaldo made it look oh so easy against Al Khaleej back in 2023-24. Receiving the ball on the edge of his area with his back to goal, he turned to face the net, his trickery taking out one defender before sizing up another. From there, Ronaldo thundered home a long-range effort to open the scoring in a dominant 2-0 win.

Afterwards, then-Al Nassr manager Luis Castro labelled Ronaldo the “No.1 player in the world”.

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Abha-lutely fab free-kick (Abha 2023-24)

As previously suggested, goalkeepers must dread the sight of Ronaldo standing over a dead-ball situation.

On this occasion, Ciprian Tatarusanu stood no chance, the Abha stopper not even moving as Al Nassr’s No.7 did what he’s done to so many top-level stoppers throughout the years. Ronaldo crept up to the ball before whipping a beautiful free-kick right inside the near post.

He was later hailed as a “perfectionist”.

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Hat-trick sealer (Abha 2023-24)

This was a particularly bad night for Abha, as Ronaldo and Al Nassr ran riot, with their caption marvel scoring a first-half hat-trick in an 8-0 win.

His third came just before half-time, when he was – for some strange reason – afforded a world of space. While Ronaldo could’ve taken a touch and driven towards goal, and with Tatarusanu off his line, he opted instead for a cheeky chip that left the Romanian grasping at thin air. Chef's kiss.

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Capital curse-shaker (Al Hilal 2024-25)

Ronaldo had never beaten Al Hilal in the RSL, but all that changed last April in an emphatic 3-1 win.

Just seconds into the second half, the Portuguese legend slammed home a second goal to make it 2-0. Granted, he has scored more spectacular goals during almost three full seasons in the Kingdom, but this was still a sweetly timed, first-time finish that had greater meaning than simply the goal.

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The first… sort of (Al Wehda 2022-23)

Let’s go back to where it all started. OK, this wasn’t quite Ronaldo’s his debut goal for Al Nassr – that came a few days earlier from the spot in a 2-2 draw with Al Fateh – but it represented his first from open play. And it wasn’t too shabby, as well.

Slipped in behind the Al Wehda defence by Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Ronaldo took one touch before thrashing the ball with his left foot past Al Wehda goalkeeper Abdulquddus Atiah.

It was not only the first of four times Ronaldo netted in that game but it opened the floodgates on his march to 100 RSL goals today. The Ronaldo Era, as thrilling as we all anticipated, had well and truly arrived.

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You can check out every one of Ronaldo’s 100 RSL goals in our dedicated video HERE.

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