Ronaldo scores goal 981 after Houthi missile alert delays Al Nassr game by an hour, then wraps himself in a Saudi flag scarf

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 981st goal of his career on Monday, 12 October, in an Al Nassr game that kicked off an hour late because of a Houthi missile alert over Riyadh, then celebrated with a scarf in the Saudi flag's colours over his shoulders.

What happened in Riyadh

The AFC Champions League Elite match against Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fergana at Al-Awal Park was due to start at 9:15pm Saudi time, which is 11:15pm in Pakistan. Shortly before, AFP correspondents heard explosions in the city, and Riyadh residents received a phone alert warning of a "hostile aerial threat" and telling them to stay away from windows and doors.

The Saudi-led coalition then said on X that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis. The stadium announcer told the sparse crowd the situation was safe, and the broadcaster announced a one-hour delay, Yahoo Sports reported from AFP.

The game

• Al Nassr 3, Neftchi Fergana 1.
• Angelo Gabriel gave Al Nassr the lead, and Ronaldo made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute.
• Alisher Odilov pulled one back early in the second half, and an own goal sealed the win.

The scarf

Before kick-off Ronaldo kissed the Saudi emblem on his shirt. At the final whistle he joined the fans' Viking clap with a Saudi-flag scarf around his shoulders, Gulf News reported. Al Nassr's Arabic account posted the photo with a line Ronaldo first said in June 2025, after extending his contract to 2027: "I am Portuguese, but I belong to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

The gesture comes after a week of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including deadly strikes on Riyadh's airport, which remains shut this week. It also comes days after Portugal's football federation provisionally suspended him following his Nations League walkout.

19 goals from 1,000

At 41, Ronaldo needs 19 more for 1,000 career goals across club and country.

If you are in Riyadh or flying there

If you are travelling, check our story on what the Riyadh airport closure means for PIA passengers and Umrah pilgrims, and use the currency converter for today's riyal rate against the rupee (SAR to PKR).