The hidden meaning behind Cristiano Ronaldo's new 'M' gesture as 1,000-goal milestone comes into view

Cristiano Ronaldo has spent much of his career making sure supporters know when he has scored, but his latest celebration has left them trying to decipher a different message. The Al Nassr forward has repeatedly appeared to form an 'M' with his fingers after finding the net, and fans believe the gesture could be a reference to the 1,000-goal milestone he is now chasing.Why Cristiano Ronaldo is making an 'M' with his fingersRonaldo's trademark 'Siu' celebration has become one of the most recognisable routines in football, but supporters have recently spotted him using a different gesture after scoring for Al Nassr. Rather than his usual celebration, the 41-year-old has been bringing his fingers together to form what appears to be the letter 'M'.The theory attracting the most attention, highlighted by the sports social media account 433, is that the letter represents 1,000 in Roman numerals. It is a plausible explanation given how close Ronaldo is to the landmark, although the player has not confirmed that this is what he intends.There is another detail that has caught supporters' attention. Al Nassr chief executive Jose Semedo has also celebrated alongside Ronaldo using the same gesture, prompting further speculation about whether it carries a message connected to the club's leading scorer.For now, its meaning remains unconfirmed. Ronaldo has not publicly addressed the celebration, so the Roman numeral explanation remains a theory rather than an official account.The timing, however, is difficult to overlook. Ronaldo scored his 983rd, 984th and 985th career goals in Al Nassr's 5-3 victory over Al-Kholood on October 29, taking his official tally to 985. As of October 30, 2026, he had reached that total in 1,343 senior appearances for club and country, leaving him just 15 goals short of four figures.Brazilian legend Pelé is the only player previously credited with scoring more than 1,000 career goals, having been credited with 1,279 between 1956 and 1977.Can Ronaldo score 15 goals before the end of 2026?Ronaldo has eight confirmed club matches remaining in 2026, giving him a limited number of opportunities to reach the milestone before the year ends. Al Nassr's schedule includes five Saudi Pro League fixtures against Al Qadsiah, Al Shabab, Al-Fayha, Al Hilal and Al-Fateh, alongside a King’s Cup tie against Al-Kholood on December 1.The club also have two AFC Champions League Elite matches remaining, against Al Sadd and Al-Gharafa. Should Al Nassr qualify for the knockout stage, those matches will take place from 2027.The schedule has changed following two major adjustments to Al Nassr's calendar. Their November 6 league match against Al-Hazem was officially postponed indefinitely, while the Saudi Super Cup fixture against Al-Kholood, scheduled for December 20, was moved out of the December window. The changes formed part of wider adjustments to domestic football calendars amid regional logistical changes and the rescheduling of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.With 15 goals still required and eight club matches available, Ronaldo would need to average almost two goals per game to reach 1,000 before January. Scoring once in every fixture would leave him seven short, making the target a considerable challenge even with his recent hat-trick against Al-Kholood.He could also have opportunities with Portugal during the November international break. Ronaldo has been named in the preliminary squad selected by head coach Jorge Jesus for potential matches against Wales and Denmark, despite the reported fallout between the pair in September. His inclusion in the preliminary squad does not, however, guarantee that he will play in either fixture.If the 1,000-goal mark proves out of reach this year, Ronaldo could enter 2027 needing only a small number of additional goals, depending on how he fares during the remaining fixtures.What Cristiano Ronaldo has said about reaching 1,000 goalsRonaldo has previously described reaching 1,000 career goals as one of the major targets he still wants to achieve. Speaking in September, he called the prospect the 'cherry on top of the cake' and said he would particularly like to reach the milestone while representing Portugal.“It would be the cherry on the top of the cake to score my 1,000th goal with the national team. It would be the culmination of a beautiful story. I said I wanted to reach that target and I will reach that target. But I don’t have an obsession. If you are obsessed with something, you won’t get it … Just enjoy. Carpe diem, enjoy the day.”The Portugal captain has also made clear that his assessment of his own career will not depend on whether he reaches that figure. In a separate interview in October, he said that even a final tally below 1,000 would not change his belief that he is the greatest player in football history.“Things have to happen naturally. If I score 920 goals, or 925, or 930, the best player in history is me, and that’s the end of it.“The numbers speak for themselves. If I reach that figure, meaning a thousand goals, it would be something amazing and a target I am working towards, but I don’t think about the long term.”For now, Ronaldo remains 15 goals away from a milestone no other player has officially reached in the same way. Whether his new 'M' celebration is a deliberate reference to that target is still a question only he can answer, but supporters will have another reason to watch closely whenever he finds the net.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. 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