Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence After Scoring Hat-Trick to Reach 985 Career Goals

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Al-Nassr defeated Al Kholood 5-3 in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday, October 29The 41-year-old took to social media after the match to celebrate the result and praise his teammatesRonaldo's treble moved him to 985 career goals, just 15 shy of the remarkable 1,000-goal milestoneGhana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated on social media after an impressive second-half hat-trick fired Al-Nassr to a 5-3 win over Al Kholood in the Saudi Pro League, pushing his career goal tally to an extraordinary 985.

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after scoring a hat-trick in Al-Nassr’s 5-3 win against Al Kholood in the Saudi Pro League. Photo by Abdullah Ahmed. Source: Getty ImagesRonaldo reacts after reaching 985 career goalsThe Portuguese forward, who turned 41 earlier this year, posted his reaction shortly after Thursday's match, keeping his message simple but warm.

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The match was far from straightforward. Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half, a period that saw Al-Nassr fall behind before Angelo and Sadio Mane helped swing the contest back in their favour, only for Loic Essomba to level things up before the break.

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The second half belonged entirely to Ronaldo. He found the net in the 66th and 72nd minutes before completing his treble with nine minutes left on the clock, putting the result beyond doubt and securing all three points for his side.

Watch Ronaldo's hat-trick vs Al Kholood, as shared on X:

The treble was Ronaldo's first hat-trick of the season and brought him to within 15 goals of the 1,000-career-goal mark, a figure that would cement his status as the most prolific scorer in football history.

His goals span a career that has taken him from Sporting CP to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and the Portuguese national team.

The timing of the achievement added a certain weight, coming just one day after Ronaldo was voted the greatest Ballon d'Or winner of all time in a fan poll, finishing ahead of his long-standing rival Lionel Messi.

While the poll carries no official recognition from the Ballon d'Or organisation, it added fresh momentum to the ongoing conversation about his place among football's all-time greats.

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On the league table, Al-Nassr's win moved them level on 28 points with Al Qadsiah, though with a game in hand, putting them in a strong position in their title challenge.

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Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe (Sports Editor) Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe is a CAF-accredited journalist with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Rural Arts and Industry (2016). Godwin’s career includes covering the 2023 AFCON and grassroots competitions within Ghana. He has also served as a Presenter at VNTV, a Sports Analyst at Obonu FM, and a Football Writer for a myriad of sports websites. He joined Yen.com.gh in 2024 to cover sports. Email: godwin.tagoe@yen.com.gh.