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Former Al-Hilal star Mohammed Al-Daee has dismissed the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo reaching 1000 career goals, claiming the latter's minutes on the pitch could be reduced in the near future. His comments arrived after Ronaldo netted a brilliant brace to help Al-Nassr defeat Al-Hilal in their Saudi Pro League clash (April 4).
Cristiano Ronaldo led the Knights of Najd from the front against rivals Al-Hilal at the Kingdom Arena on Friday. The Portugal icon was in sublime form, despite the recent international break, finishing well into the bottom corner (47'), before converting a penalty in the 88th minute.
As a result, Cristiano Ronaldo's total career goal tally increased to 931 goals in 1272 appearances across competitions for club and country (excluding club friendlies). With 69 goals left to reach the iconic milestone of 1000 goals, many fans expect Ronaldo to break this record, given his form and fitness at the age of 40.
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However, Al-Daee told Saudi TV program Dourina Ghair (via YS Scores):
"I don’t think Ronaldo will reach 1000 goals before retiring; it’s extremely difficult, as he has 69 full goals left to reach that number. Even if he continues in the field for another two seasons, it’s impossible for him to reach the 1000 goal mark. How many matches are left? And how many minutes will he participate in? There are some coaches who only play players for 20 minutes after reaching the age of 39 or 40."
Despite Al-Daee's claims, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be a regular starter for Al-Nassr, as well as the Portugal national team. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has yet to be benched for the Knights of Najd this season, garnering 30 goals and four assists in 34 appearances across competitions. Moreover, he has played a total of 90 minutes in 25 of those fixtures.
"We sacrificed a lot" - Stefano Pioli provides verdict after Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr defeat Al-Hilal in SPL clash
Al-Nassr boss Stefano Pioli has expressed his pleasure after witnessing his side defeat rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Ali Al-Hassan's first-half screamer and Cristiano Ronaldo's brace ensured Al-Nassr sealed all three points from the Riyadh derby.
Despite having less of the ball (41 percent possession), Al-Nassr were much more threatening in attack, landing eight shots on target compared to the hosts' three. From the aforementioned source, Pioli told reporters during the post-match press conference:
"I am very happy with this victory, especially for the players who put in a great effort, and for the Al-Nassr fans who deserve this win.. This match was tough between two great teams, but we sacrificed a lot and worked with high focus to achieve victory."
He added:
"Our strategy relies on attacking with compact lines, and we managed to close the spaces in front of Al-Hilal, which made it difficult for them to build their attacks. Our thinking is always about improving for the next match; we have the Elite Cup left and 8 matches in the league, and we are working to develop and think about winning the upcoming matches."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. will next face Al-Riyadh on Saturday, April 12.
