Cristiano Ronaldo lit up Al-Nassr's clash with Al-Khaleej on Thursday evening, firing a magnificent hat-trick in the twelfth round of the Saudi Roshn Pro League to end a long wait for a treble in the shirt of the global club.
His brilliance arrived after a first half laced with controversy. Referee Khalid Al-Turais disallowed two Ronaldo goals for offside, a decision that infuriated the Al-Nassr captain and prompted a furious protest. He returned in the second half and turned his chances into goals that counted this time.
The Portuguese opened his account in the 66th minute. A superb pass from compatriot Joao Felix teed him up and he placed the ball into the net. Six minutes later he was at it again, nodding home a header in the 72nd to double his tally and stamp his mark on the contest.
Then came the third. In the 81st minute, Sadio Mane threaded a well-crafted pass through to the Al-Nassr captain, who slotted it home to complete his treble and turn the frustration of the first half into an exceptional night with the global club.
It was Ronaldo's first hat-trick in 908 days. His last treble came against Al-Wehda on 4 May 2024 in the Saudi Roshn League, so a long drought without three goals in a single match is over, and another milestone is added to his scoring record.
The strike took Ronaldo's career tally to 985 goals, according to the figures cited. That leaves him just 15 short of the 1,000-goal barrier, a historic landmark the Portuguese star edges closer to with every appearance in the Al-Nassr shirt.