Cristiano Ronaldo Returns to Al Nassr Training

A timely return

For Al Nassr, the immediate issue is simple.

• Ronaldo is back in training before the first game of the season.
• The opener against Al Fateh gives the club an instant chance to bring him back into the attack.
• He is about to start his 25th season in club football.

That matters because, even at this stage of his career, his role is still judged in the clearest way possible: goals, presence and attacking authority. A long break after tournament duty can blur the build-up to a new season. Returning before the opener gives Al Nassr a chance to restore their focal point quickly.

The World Cup backdrop

Ronaldo does not return quietly. His summer with Portugal ended in the last 16, with elimination against Spain, who went on to win the 2026 World Cup.

• He scored three goals during the tournament.
• One was his first goal in a World Cup knockout match.
• Portugal were beaten by the team that later lifted the trophy.

That tournament matters in two ways. First, it showed he can still produce on a major stage. Second, it means he comes back with competitive rhythm rather than a quiet off-season.

The 1,000-goal storyline

The number hanging over every appearance now is 1,000.

Ronaldo’s career total stands at 976 goals for club and country, leaving him 24 short of a mark no male footballer has reached. That turns every match into part of a countdown. It also gives Al Nassr’s season an extra layer of scrutiny: every finish, every start and every run in front of goal will be measured against that milestone.

The next chapter begins on Saturday. If Ronaldo is involved against Al Fateh, the new campaign opens with both a team objective and a historic personal pursuit already underway.