Cristiano Ronaldo moved closer to a historic milestone with a decisive hat-trick that propelled Al-Nassr to a 5-3 victory over Al-Kholood in the Saudi Pro League. The performance marked the 67th hat-trick of his illustrious career and brought his total tally to 985 goals.
The match remained tightly contested at 2-2 following first-half strikes from Angelo Gabriel and Sadio Mane for Al-Nassr. Ronaldo then secured the win by netting three times within a span of just 15 minutes in the second half. His Portugal teammate Joao Felix played a pivotal role in the offensive display, providing four assists, two of which directly set up Ronaldo's goals.
This achievement adds to Ronaldo's extensive record across multiple clubs and nations. He has recorded seven hat-tricks for Al-Nassr, alongside 44 for Real Madrid, 10 for Portugal, and three each during his stints at Manchester United and Juventus. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner remains the all-time top scorer in men's international football and has secured league titles in England, Spain, Italy, and Saudi Arabia.
Now 41, Ronaldo has spent nearly four years with Al-Nassr, the defending champions of the Saudi Pro League, with one year remaining on his contract. In August, he suggested that this might be his final season before retirement. Currently, Al-Nassr sits second in the league table, holding a game in hand over leaders Al-Qadsiah.
Sources: BBC Sport Football.