Ronaldo closes in on 1,000th goal with hat-trick

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Al-Nassr beat Al-Kholood 5-3 in the Saudi Pro League, bringing his career total to 985 goals. The 41-year-old is closing in on 1,000, a milestone that would add to a career in which he has become men’s international football’s leading goalscorer.

The match was level at 2-2 before Ronaldo scored three times in 15 minutes in the second half; team-mate João Félix provided four assists, including two for Ronaldo. It was the 67th hat-trick of Ronaldo’s career, seven of them for Al-Nassr. The defending champions are second, with a game in hand on leaders Al-Qadsiah, and Ronaldo has one year left on his contract.