Ronaldo Scores Hat-Trick, Nears 1,000 Career Goals
The 41-year-old Portuguese star reached 985 career goals with his three second-half goals in Al-Nassr's 5-3 victory over Al Kholood.
Cristiano Ronaldo has moved closer to the 1,000-goal milestone, scoring a hat-trick in Al-Nassr's 5-3 victory against Al Kholood on Thursday. The 41-year-old forward found the net in the 66th, 72nd, and 81st minutes at Alawwal Park, securing all three points for his team.
This treble brings Ronaldo's career goal tally to 985. He has been pursuing the 1,000-goal mark since surpassing Josef Bican's record for most career goals in 2021. Ronaldo previously expressed his ambition to reach 1,000 goals, stating in 2024 that it was his challenge after achieving 900.
Discrepancies exist in historical football goal records, with some sources attributing more goals to players like Pele. FIFA lists Pele with 767 career goals, while Guinness World Records acknowledges 1,279, though this includes exhibition matches. Lionel Messi is currently the next closest active player with 936 career goals.
Ronaldo's official goal breakdown includes 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 146 for Portugal, 101 for Juventus, 138 for his current club Al-Nassr, and five for Sporting Lisbon. He won consecutive Saudi Pro League Golden Boots in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, finishing third in the scoring race last season with 28 goals.
Last week, Forbes reported that Ronaldo became football's first multi-billionaire, earning an estimated £225 million this year. He reportedly surpassed $2 billion in career earnings earlier this year. His lucrative contract with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr is estimated at £488,000 per day. Off-pitch earnings from endorsements and business ventures are estimated at £42 million for the year.
Ronaldo continues to lead the Forbes football rich list, with Messi in second place. Messi is estimated to have earned £109 million over the past year and is expected to reach the $2 billion career earnings milestone soon.