Mohammed Al-Deayea has challenged Cristiano Ronaldo to score 15 goals before the winter break if the Al Nassr captain is to reach 1,000 career goals.
The former Saudi Arabia and Al Hilal goalkeeper was speaking after Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Al Nassr’s 5-3 victory over Al Kholood in round 12 of the Roshn Saudi League.
That performance renewed the focus on whether Ronaldo can reach the landmark, with the Portugal forward continuing to score regularly despite his advancing age. His treble against Al Kholood took his career total to 885 goals.
Al-Deayea had previously questioned whether Ronaldo would be able to complete the remaining part of the journey. He pointed to the player’s age and the need to maintain a high scoring rate across several more seasons as potential obstacles.
However, Ronaldo’s continued goalscoring and his determination to remain at the highest level have led Al-Deayea to take a more flexible view. The Saudi goalkeeping great has acknowledged that the target remains possible because of Ronaldo’s exceptional fitness and determination.
Al-Deayea’s new condition
Appearing on the television programme Dawryna Ghair, Al-Deayea set out a new condition for Ronaldo to meet before he will back the 1,000-goal bid.
“If Ronaldo does not score 15 goals before the winter break, he will not break the 1,000-goal barrier,” he said.
Rather than judging Ronaldo’s chances solely on his current total or the number of seasons he may continue playing, Al-Deayea’s latest comments place the emphasis on his short-term scoring record.
The former Al Hilal player also made a sarcastic observation about the standard of defending in some Roshn Saudi League matches.
“Ronaldo will reach 1,000 goals as long as we have teams defending like this,” he said.
The remark adds another dimension to the discussion surrounding Ronaldo’s pursuit of the record, highlighting the goalscoring opportunities he has been able to find in the Saudi league.
Ronaldo’s three goals against Al Kholood helped Al Nassr secure a five-goal victory and moved him closer to the landmark. His current tally stands at 885, leaving 115 goals still required to reach 1,000.
Al-Deayea’s comments represent a change from his earlier doubts, but his latest challenge makes clear that he is tying his judgement to Ronaldo’s ability to maintain a demanding scoring rate in the coming period.
