By Emmanuel Buah
Cristiano Ronaldo has moved another step closer to football history after scoring a spectacular second-half hat-trick to inspire Al Nassr to a 5–3 victory over Al Kholood in the Saudi Pro League.
The Portuguese superstar scored three times in just 15 minutes on Thursday, October 29, 2026, taking his reported career goal tally to 985.
At 41, Ronaldo is now just 15 goals away from the remarkable 1,000-career-goal milestone, a record that would represent another extraordinary achievement in his legendary football career.
Al Kholood Give Al Nassr a Difficult Start
The encounter at Al Awwal Park began with Al Kholood taking an unexpected lead.
Julien Domingues opened the scoring in the 16th minute, putting pressure on the home side.
Al Nassr responded through Ângelo Gabriel, who equalised in the 24th minute following a combination involving João Félix.
Sadio Mané then put Al Nassr ahead in the 38th minute, but Al Kholood refused to back down. Antoine Loïc Essomba restored parity in first-half stoppage time, sending both teams into the break level at 2–2.
Ronaldo Takes Over in the Second Half
With the match finely balanced, Ronaldo produced a remarkable individual performance after the restart.
The Al Nassr captain broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, converting a João Félix assist to put his side ahead.
Six minutes later, the Portuguese forward struck again. This time, he connected with another delivery from Félix and powered a header into the net.
Ronaldo completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute after Sadio Mané set him up inside the penalty area.
The three goals came within 15 minutes and effectively ended Al Kholood's hopes of securing a comeback.
Domingues converted a late penalty in stoppage time to complete his brace, but Al Nassr held on for a 5–3 victory.
Just 15 Goals Away from 1,000
Ronaldo's latest hat-trick takes his reported official career tally to 985 goals.
The milestone is particularly significant because he has continued to score consistently across different leagues and competitions, despite being in the later stages of his playing career.
His career has included memorable spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al Nassr, alongside an outstanding international career with Portugal.
The latest performance also marked another hat-trick in his remarkable collection, taking his reported career total to 67.
With 15 goals remaining before the 1,000-goal mark, attention will increasingly turn to whether Ronaldo can reach the milestone during the current season.
Al Nassr Keep Their Title Challenge Alive
The victory lifted Al Nassr to 28 points from 11 matches, keeping them close to Saudi Pro League leaders Al Qadsiah, who had 29 points after playing an additional game.
João Félix was also instrumental in the victory, providing four assists in an outstanding attacking performance.
The match attracted additional attention from the stands, where undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk watched Ronaldo's performance and described the football star as an extraordinary athlete.
For Al Nassr, the three points were important in the title race. For Ronaldo, however, the night brought him another step closer to one of football's most talked-about milestones.
At 41, the Portuguese legend continues to demonstrate that his appetite for goals and records remains undiminished.
MATCH DETAILS
Competition: Saudi Pro League
Fixture: Al Nassr vs Al Kholood
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Venue: Al Awwal Park, Riyadh
Final score: Al Nassr 5–3 Al Kholood
Ronaldo's goals: 66th, 72nd and 81st minutes
Career goal tally: 985 (reported)
Goals remaining to reach 1,000: 15
Sources: Saudi Pro League, Saudi Gazette, Arab News and Punch Newspapers.
0 Comments