RIYADH (The Thursday Times) — Cristiano Ronaldo scored a second-half hat-trick as Al-Nassr beat Al-Kholood 5-3 in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, taking the 41-year-old to 985 career goals and within 15 of the 1,000 mark.
With the game level at 2-2 after goals from Angelo Gabriel and Sadio Mane for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo settled it by scoring three times in 15 minutes after the break. His Portugal team-mate João Félix finished with four assists, setting up two of Ronaldo’s goals.
It was the 67th hat-trick of Ronaldo’s career: seven for Al-Nassr, 44 for Real Madrid, 10 for Portugal and three each for Manchester United and Juventus.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia and is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football, has spent almost four years at Al-Nassr and has a year left on his contract. In August he hinted at retirement, saying this was “probably” his last year as a player.
The win keeps the defending champions second in the table, with a game in hand on leaders Al-Qadsiah.
