A controversy has emerged regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's official goal tally, with six goals he scored in the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup currently not recognized by FIFA. This dispute means that while Ronaldo recently extended his goal-scoring record to 967 goals after a brace in Al Nassr's 5-2 victory over Al Najma in the Saudi Pro League on 3/4, his actual career total, according to some statistics, stands at 961.

The core of the issue lies with the Arab Club Champions Cup, which FIFA classifies as a pre-season friendly rather than an official competition. Consequently, leading global football statistics organization Transfermarkt also records Ronaldo's career total at 961 goals, excluding those from the disputed tournament.

Ronaldo scored in Al Nassr's victory over Al Najma in round 27 of the Saudi Pro League on 3/4. *Photo: Reuters*

The Arab Club Champions Cup is a competition for clubs from Arab nations, with a history dating back to 1981, running continuously until 2008. After a period of inactivity, it was revived in 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2023, before being suspended again.

On 7/4, Goncalo Tristao Santos, Transfermarkt's representative in Portugal, addressed the issue when questioned by Portuguese newspaper A Bola. Santos explained, "The six goals we did not count for Ronaldo were scored in a tournament held during the 2023-2024 season. The problem is that this competition is not recognized by FIFA, and we only consider officially recognized tournaments."

Santos also noted that FIFA has not yet sought to clarify its stance on the matter. He suggested that an official statement from FIFA would be the ideal solution to prevent further disputes, especially as Ronaldo approaches the 1,000-goal mark.

To definitively achieve a four-digit goal count, Ronaldo needs to score at least 1,006 goals. With a maximum of 10 matches remaining with Al Nassr and eight World Cup qualifiers with the Portugal national team this season, it is likely he will need to play into the 2026-2027 season to reach his ambitious target.

Ronaldo's impressive career goal breakdown includes: 143 goals for the Portugal national team (an international record), 5 for Sporting, 145 for Man Utd, 450 for Real (a club record), 101 for Juventus, and 123 for Al Nassr.

Thanh Quy (according to A Bola)