Ronaldo’s hat‑trick propels Al Nassr and narrows Saudi Pro League Golden Boot gap
Ronaldo’s three‑goal burst lifts Al Nassr to a 5‑3 victory
In a thrilling Round 12 encounter at Alawwal Park, Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a rapid‑fire hat‑trick that helped Al Nassr overturn Al Kholood 5‑3. The Portuguese star found the net three times within a 15‑minute spell after the hour‑mark, turning a tight contest into a comfortable win.
How the goals unfolded
- 66th minute – A precise pass from João Félix set Ronaldo up to make it 3‑2.
- 72nd minute – Félix again supplied the ball, and Ronaldo doubled his tally.
- 81st minute – Sadio Mané’s assist completed the hat‑trick, sealing the lead.
The performance came on the night Ronaldo was presented with the newly created Ballon d’Or of All Time award, adding a personal milestone to the team triumph.
Impact on the Golden Boot race
Official league statistics now list Ronaldo with seven goals, putting him level with Mateo Retegui and Youssef En‑Nesyri and just one behind Tijjani Reijnders, who sits on eight. Ivan Toney remains the clear frontrunner with twelve goals, although he has played one match fewer (nine) compared with Ronaldo’s ten appearances.
If the goal from the earlier 3‑1 win over Al Faisaly on 23 October were to be credited, Ronaldo’s tally would rise to eight, matching Reijnders for second place, while Toney would move to thirteen. The gap at the top would therefore stay at five goals.
Why some goals are under dispute
The Saudi Pro League’s official record‑keeping has been selective about awarding certain strikes to the players involved. In the Al Faisaly match, Ronaldo headed home from a João Félix free‑kick, but television replays suggested the ball may have glanced off defender Andrei Girotto. The league ultimately recorded the effort as an own goal, not adding it to Ronaldo’s personal count.
A similar situation occurred with Ivan Toney’s header in Al Ahli’s 4‑1 win over Al Khaleej. After a VAR review, the goal was also reclassified as an own goal, leaving the striker’s official total unchanged.
These decisions mean that the official league website and databases such as Transfermarkt do not attribute those strikes to either player. However, many journalists, including Fabrizio Romano, continue to count the disputed goals in their own tallies, which is why they report Ronaldo’s career total at 985 following the recent hat‑trick.
Ronaldo’s career milestone
Beyond the league race, the hat‑trick marked another step toward the legendary 1,000‑goal mark that Ronaldo has long hinted at reaching. According to media outlets that recognize the disputed goals, the Portuguese forward now sits on 985 career goals, a figure that would place him among an elite group of all‑time scorers.
The discrepancy between official records and journalistic counts is likely to persist until the Saudi Pro League updates its statistics. Until then, fans and analysts will continue to debate the true numbers, especially as the season progresses and the race for the Golden Boot tightens.
Looking ahead
Al Nassr’s next fixtures will be crucial for Ronaldo’s personal ambitions and the club’s title chase. With the league’s top scorer chart still open, each match offers an opportunity for the Portuguese star to close the gap on Toney and solidify his place among the competition’s most lethal forwards.
For now, the 5‑3 triumph over Al Kholood serves as a reminder of Ronaldo’s enduring ability to influence games with decisive moments, even as the statistical record‑keeping around his achievements remains a point of contention.
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