Cristiano Ronaldo received the Middle East Player of the Year award at a ceremony in Dubai on Sunday evening. The 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward expressed confidence in reaching 1,000 career goals if he remains injury-free. He recently scored a brace in his team's league victory.
Cristiano Ronaldo was honored as the Middle East Player of the Year during a ceremony in Dubai on December 28, 2025. The Portuguese star, currently playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, accepted the award following a strong start to the season.
At 40 years old, Ronaldo is just 44 goals away from the milestone of 1,000 career goals. He achieved this after netting a brace in Al-Nassr's 3-0 win over Al-Akhdoud on December 27, contributing to the team's 10th consecutive victory to open the campaign. Ronaldo has tallied 12 league goals this season, trailing teammate Joao Felix by one.
Ronaldo, who previously starred for Manchester United and Real Madrid, recently extended his contract with Al-Nassr until 2027. Speaking at the event, he emphasized his ongoing drive: “My goal is still to score goals, win more trophies and keep pushing myself to achieve new personal targets. My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I will reach 1,000 goals for sure, if I stay injury-free.”
Al-Nassr, last crowned champions in 2019, remains in contention for the title this season. Ronaldo's commitment underscores his determination to maintain peak performance amid his relocation to the Middle East.
