RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo has described his record-breaking Roshn Saudi League campaign, in which he netted 35 goals to become the league’s all-time leading goalscorer in a single season, as “one of the best” of his career.

Al Nassr captain was presented with the 2023-24 RSL Top Goalscorer award after his incredible achievement of netting 35 goals in 31 games. It set a Saudi Arabian record, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s total overtaking Abderrazak Hamdallah's mark of 34 in the 2018-19 campaign.

In addition to his goalscoring prowess in the league, the 39-year-old Portuguese legend also recorded 11 assists.

“It means a lot," Ronaldo said of winning the Top Goalscorer award. "Individually, I feel very happy. It’s probably one of the best seasons I’ve ever had in my career in terms of goals but assists too.

“To be honest, it means a lot because it’s my work. I have to be honest and say it’s not something I was looking for at the beginning of the season, but over time I started to see that it was possible.

"So, I have the opportunity to say thank you to my teammates because, without the team, nothing individually would have been possible. But I feel very proud to beat the Saudi league record. It’s great for me - I feel happy - and this is my motivation to play football, to train every time and to carry on like that.”

Since joining Al Nassr in late December 2022, Ronaldo, whose side finished second in the 2023-24 RSL season, has scored 49 goals in 47 league appearances - and 64 goals in 69 games in all competitions. In the calendar year of 2023, he also netted the most club goals in the world, with 54 strikes in 59 appearances.

Ronaldo's incredible 2023-24 strike rate included back-to-back hat-tricks against Al Tai and Abha.

Ronaldo’s focus is now on Portugal and the 2024 European Championships, where his country face the Czech Republic, Turkey, and Georgia at the group stage in Germany. However, he said he is also eagerly awaiting the 2024-25 RSL season.

"The goals for each season are the kind of the same: it’s to do your best and win titles. If possible, to collect individual [trophies] as well, but my goal is to be the same: to be the same Cristiano that you saw this season, to do my best, to achieve goals with Al Nassr and with my Portugal national team as well. "To maintain my level is what I’m looking for.” — SG