(Football news) Cristiano Ronaldo created history when he scored four times as he registered his 500th career league goal when Al Nassr beat Al Wehda 4-0 in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday. Ronaldo scored all four goals within 30 minutes of either side of half-time as he completed his hattrick with  a 51st-minute penalty, in what was a one-sided away win at King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium. The recently turned 38-year-old struck in the 21st minute and he scored his 500th league goal of his prolific career before he took his total to 503.

The former Real Madrid, Juventus and Sporting CP player joined Al Nassr at the end of December after his contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual consent. He signed till summer of 2025 and will receive $75 million per year. After going goalless in his first two games for his new club, Ronaldo suddenly has five in two games. It is the first time Ronaldo has scored four goals in a game since doing so in the European Championship qualifying for Portugal against Lithuania in September 2019. The last time he scored four goals for his club was for Real Madrid against Girona in LaLiga in March 2018.

With this victory, Al Nassr moved back to the top of the league standings after 16 games but level on 37 points with second-placed club Al Shabab. The Portugal forward, who turned 38 on Sunday has now scored 503 league goals for five different clubs in five different leagues as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner silenced his critics a bit since then. Ronaldo completed his 61st career as it was his 31st hattrick after he turned 30. Ronaldo left Manchester United in November and scored 103 league goals across two spells at the club. He has scored 311 times in La Liga for Real Madrid and registered 81 goals in Serie A for Juventus and managed three in for his first professional club, Sporting Lisbon.

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