‘Job done’: Ronaldo scores on Al-Nassr return after Portugal fallout

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to club duties following a turbulent international break by scoring his 980th career goal as Al-Nassr cruised to a 3-0 victory over Al-Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, moving the 41-year-old another step closer to the unprecedented 1,000-goal milestone.

The Portuguese superstar opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, converting a rebound after Kingsley Coman's effort was parried, as Al-Nassr made it six wins from eight games to remain second in the league -- behind leaders Al-Qadsiah only on goal difference. Samu Costa headed in Joao Felix's corner for Al-Nassr's second goal and former Bayern Munich winger Coman ran through to add a third in the 77th minute.

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The strike was Ronaldo's fourth in the Saudi League this season, following goals against Al-Riyadh, Al-Taawoun and Abha.

With 20 goals now separating him from the landmark, Ronaldo remains on course to become the first player in history to reach 1,000 goals in official matches.

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The occasion also saw Al-Nassr supporters offer a show of support for their captain following his turbulent departure from Portugal's national team camp during the recent international break. Before kick-off, home fans unfurled a large banner declaring: "Greatness is earned, CR7, all-time top scorer in football history."

Meanwhile, Ronaldo kept his post-match message brief, writing on social media: "Job done. On to the next one!"

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Ronaldo's return to scoring came after an international break that ended in a public fallout with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus. The forward left the national team camp before Portugal's Nations League match against Denmark after being left unused against Norway, accusing Jesus of an "absolute breach of trust" over promises of playing time.

In a lengthy statement earlier this week, Ronaldo apologised to his international teammates and Portuguese supporters for leaving the camp, while maintaining that the coach had broken his word. He accepted that his actions could warrant punishment from the Portuguese Football Federation but insisted that he remained available for his country.

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"I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team," Ronaldo said.

Despite the forward's departure from the camp, Portugal already secured qualification for the Nations League quarterfinals after winning all four of their matches, with two games to spare. 

While the international dispute has cast a shadow over his latest break from club football, Ronaldo's focus appears to have returned to the task of delivering for Al-Nassr and chasing a milestone that would add another extraordinary chapter to his career.