Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has reacted after he delivered a stunning second-half performance to help his club defeat Al-Kholood 5-3 in an entertaining Saudi Pro League encounter at Al-Awwal Park on Thursday.
The Portuguese superstar scored three goals in just 15 minutes to guide his side to victory after both teams went into the half-time break level at 2-2.
The 41-year-old’s impressive display marked his first hat-trick of the season and his first treble for Al-Nassr in more than two years.
Reacting to the result, Ronaldo took to X to celebrate the victory and his personal contribution to the team’s performance.
“Great win, great team performance. Happy to help with a hat-trick!” the Al-Nassr captain wrote.
The encounter began on a difficult note for the hosts, with Ronaldo having two first-half goals disallowed for offside, including one following a VAR review.
Al-Kholood took the lead in the 16th minute through Julien Domingues before Ângelo Gabriel restored parity for Al-Nassr eight minutes later.
Sadio Mané then put the home side ahead in the 38th minute, but Antoin Essomba struck during first-half stoppage time to ensure both teams went into the interval with the score at 2-2.
Ronaldo took control after the restart, ending Al-Kholood’s resistance with a remarkable display.
João Félix played a decisive role in the victory, providing four assists, including the deliveries that led to Ronaldo’s goals in the 66th and 72nd minutes.
Mané later set up the Portuguese forward for his third goal of the night in the 81st minute, completing his hat-trick and extending Al-Nassr’s advantage.
Domingues converted a stoppage-time penalty for Al-Kholood, but his effort was insufficient to prevent the visitors from suffering a 5-3 defeat.