Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener against Al Fateh in Week 20 took the Al Nassr captain’s tally to 21 goals in the 2023-24 Saudi Arabian League season.
The Portuguese star, who turned 39 earlier this month, has been an ever-present for his club in the league this season. CR7 has been an important part of the title race this season.
With 21 goals in 19 games, Ronaldo is at the top of the league’s scoring charts. Apart from the goals, CR7 has also scored 9 assists putting him equal to Al Ettifaq’s new signing Alvaro Medran.
Ready to Set a Record at RSL
Goals are currently the benchmark for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Given CR7’s form, it’s possible that he’ll be able to set new records. One that seems to be within his reach is the highest number of goals ever scored in a single RSL season.
Currently, Al Ittihad striker Abderrazzaq Hamdallah holds the record, with 34 goals during the 2018-19 season and leading Al Nassr to the top league trophy.
The Moroccan didn’t start the season in great form. He failed to score in RSL’s opening two matches before finally breaking his deadlock with the winning goal at home to Al Taawoun.
Hamdallah added two more goals in the next two games, in a 2-0 win at home to Al Batin. However, he then went four rounds without scoring.
However, confidence was restored without a doubt by scoring in the 2-2 Riyadh derby at Al Hilal, Hamdallah went on to score 32 goals in the next 18 RSL matches.
Hamdallah ended the season with the Golden Boot. He was 13 goals ahead of his closest competitors, Al Hilal’s Bafetimbi Gomis and Al Taawoun’s Leandre Tawamba. To make this feat even more remarkable, Hamdallah racked up 34 goals in just 26 RSL appearances that season.
CR7’s goal tally for the 2023-24 season
Like Hamdallah, Ronaldo did not score his first goal of the season until Matchweek 3. Although he missed the season opener at Al Ettifaq after he helped Al Nassr win the King Salman 2023 Cup.
However, Ronaldo quickly found his groove in his second league appearance. He managed a hat-trick in a 5-0 win at Al Fateh and then scored twice in the home derby against Al Shabab.
The Portugal captain bagged 21 goals in his last 18 matches. Ronaldo has only failed to score in three matches during that period. But he scored twice in memorable wins against Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.
With 16 RSL matches to come, if he stays fit and in top form, Ronaldo will surely increase his goal tally by the time the season ends. But will that be enough to knock Hamdallah off his perch?
It would be something extraordinary for Ronaldo to make the same surge that Hamdallah did in the second half of the season.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo become the all-time RSL Top Score? We’ll have to wait and see. Stay tuned to Wowkia Football so that you don’t miss out on any other interesting content from us.