FIFA President Offers Support

Cristiano Ronaldo's pursuit of 1,000 career goals has received a high-profile endorsement. FIFA President Gianni Infantino publicly backed the Portugal and Al-Nassr star during the Esports World Cup in Paris, where Ronaldo greeted him. According to a report by BOL News, Infantino referred to the striker's goal tally and said, "23 to go? I wish you luck!"

Ronaldo currently leads the active men's scoring charts with 977 career goals, while Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is second with 923, according to BOL News. At 41, Ronaldo has scored 130 goals for Al-Nassr and needs 23 more goals to reach the 1,000 mark, the outlet reported.

A Personal Quest

Giuseppe Rossi, a former Manchester United teammate who played three seasons with Ronaldo at Old Trafford, offered insight into what drives the veteran forward. Speaking to GOAL, as quoted by Yardbarker, Rossi said:

"Will Cristiano Ronaldo retire after he scores his 1,000th goal? Maybe. I think it's still one of the reasons he's continued to stick around because at this point it's no longer about winning trophies or any other awards."

Rossi added: "It's become personal for him to try and achieve everything he wants to achieve. He's one of the most ambitious people out there in the world today, even outside of football, and if he puts his mind to it, and wants to go beyond that 1,000th goal, he will go on and do that too."

The former teammate expressed confidence in Ronaldo's ability to reach the milestone: "He'll get there. He'll score 1,000 goals. He's already a player we should all celebrate, and a player to learn from, and when he does hang up his boots, he will rightly go down as one of the best players to play the game, ever."

Recent Milestones and Form

Ronaldo added to his tally with his 977th goal in Al-Nassr's 4-0 win at Al Riyadh last week, as reported by Yardbarker. BOL News also reported that he scored in a separate 4-0 Saudi Pro League victory, coming off the bench and finding the net seven minutes after entering the game.

This summer, Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups, with three goals in North America, according to Yardbarker. While Portugal fell short of the title, Rossi praised Ronaldo's performance: "I wanted him to score in every single game. All the people that were talking about him, I wanted him to go and shut them up a little bit, and I mean he scored three goals at the World Cup at 41 years of age. I think that's amazing but what a career and what a player."

Looking Ahead

Al-Nassr's domestic and regional commitments could provide Ronaldo with numerous opportunities to reach the milestone in the coming months if he maintains his scoring rate, according to BOL News. The outlet also reported that Al-Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou is managing the veteran forward carefully to keep him in top form throughout the season.

Ronaldo's next match for Al-Nassr is a Saudi Pro League trip to Al Ettifaq on Tuesday, as reported by Yardbarker. Rossi's comments suggest the 1,000-goal target is not just a career milestone but a deeply personal ambition. As the Portuguese star continues to close in on the mark, the backing from FIFA's president and the confidence of his former teammate underscore the significance of what he is chasing.