CR7 leads Al-Nassr to victory

Yesterday, at Al-Awwal Park stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Al-Nassr’s 5–3 victory over Al-Kholood.

Al-Kholood opened the scoring in the 16th minute, but Ângelo Gabriel levelled the score less than 10 minutes later. Then, Sadio Mané, a five-time Ballon d’Or nominee, put Al-Nassr ahead, before the opposition equalised again in first-half stoppage time.

But it was after the break that CR7, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, stole the show. The Portuguese star scored in the 21st, 27th and 36th minutes of the second half, securing his hat-trick and helping to consolidate Al-Nassr’s position at the top of the table. The team sit in second place, behind only Al-Qadsiah, whilst Al-Kholood are in 10th place.

Although the opposition did manage to score another goal in the closing minutes, Ronaldo’s performance was the standout feature of the match.

On course for 1,000 goals

With the three goals scored yesterday, Ronaldo has taken his career tally to 985. At 41, the Portuguese star is now just 15 goals away from reaching his long-awaited 1,000th goal, a historic milestone that seems ever closer.

It is not yet known exactly when he will reach this milestone, but one thing is certain: CR7 continues to show that his hunger for goals is far from over.

Mané and Félix also shine

As well as Ronaldo, Mané was another standout performer of the night. The 34-year-old Senegalese star scored a goal and provided an assist, as well as recording 11 touches in the opposition’s penalty area – more than any other player on the pitch.

João Félix, for his part, also put in a standout performance. The 26-year-old Portuguese player, who is Ronaldo’s club and international team-mate, provided four assists in the match. He had been voted the Saudi Pro League’s best player last season, when he set a record of 13 assists for Al-Nassr.

Another record for CR7

The performance also extended Ronaldo’s lead as Al-Nassr’s all-time top scorer. Since joining the club in January 2023, the Portuguese star has scored 131 goals for the Saudi side, seven more than Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, who is in second place with 124.

At 41, Ronaldo continues to defy the passage of time, racking up goals and writing new chapters in an extraordinary career. With 985 goals to his name, the countdown to 1,000 has already begun. And, at the Portuguese star’s current pace, the wait promises not to be long.