Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 500th goal in league football on Thursday – bagging all four as Al Nassr beat Saudi Pro League rivals Al Wehda at the King Abdul Aziz Stadium.
Ronaldo hit the 500 mark in the 21st minute with a left-footed strike. He second came just before the interval before he converted a spot kick on 53 minutes for his 61st hat-trick of an illustrious club career.
On the hour, the 38-year-old Ronaldo had taken his league tally of goals to 503 when he slotted in a rebound to give Al Nassr a 4-0 victory.
It edged him further ahead in his never-ending duel with great rival Lionel Messi – who still has some way to catch Ronaldo in the goalscoring charts.
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Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Al Wehda in the Saudi Pro League match at the King Abdulaziz Stadium in Makkah on February 9, 2023. Ronaldo bagged all four goals in a 4-0 win. AFP -
Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal. AFP -
Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo kisses the ball before taking a penalty. The Portuguese striker converted for his hat-trick - the 61st treble of his career. AFP -
Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo scores from the penalty spot for his and Nassr's third goal. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his team's second goal. AFP -
Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo runs with the ball. AFP -
Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's third goal. AFP -
Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammates. AFP
How far behind Ronaldo is Messi?
Ronaldo's quadruple against Al Wehda took him to 503 league goals across five leagues – Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia – in 656 club appearances, extending his record as football's most prolific league marksman.
A young Ronaldo scored three goals for his first club, Sporting of Lisbon, 103 across two spells at Manchester United, 311 for Real Madrid – a club record – and 81 for Juventus.
As of the time of writing, Messi is on 490 league goals – 474 for Barcelona, 16 for Paris Saint-Germain – so 13 shy of Ronaldo.
What other goal records does Ronaldo hold over Messi?
Portugal striker Ronaldo holds the record for most Uefa Champions League goals (141) and the most international goals (118). He is also the only player to have scored at five Fifa World Cups.
Messi, by comparison, has scored 129 Champions League goals and 98 goals for Argentina, including two in the World Cup final in Qatar late last year.
What records does Messi hold over Ronaldo?
Messi, 35, managed to one-up his old rival last December by guiding Argentina to a third World Cup triumph when they beat France on penalties in the Doha final.
At 38, it is unlikely Ronaldo will be around for the 2026 World Cup being jointly held in the United States, Canada and Mexico – and even Messi may decide he reached the Holy Grail in Qatar.
Both have won continental titles with their respective countries – Messi's Argentina won the 2021 Copa America while Ronaldo was part of the Portugal squad that won Euro 2016 – but Messi boasts seven Ballon d'Or awards to Ronaldo's five.
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It's finally his. Getty Images -
Argentina's captain and hero Lionel Messi celebrates with his family after winning the World Cup. AP Photo -
Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez won the Golden Glove Award. AP Photo -
Argentina's Lisandro Martinez and his loved ones cherish the moment. Reuters -
Former Argentina player Sergio Aguero celebrates with the team. PA -
Messi also picked up the Best Player Award. EPA -
Messi received the award from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. Fifa president Gianni Infantino, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron, right, were also on stage. EPA -
German Pezzella gets his hands on football's biggest prize. Getty Images -
Angel Di Maria, centre, was heroic for Argentina in the final. Getty Images -
Argentina players celebrate Gonzalo Montiel's World Cup-winning penalty. Getty Images -
Lionel Messi scored two goals and secured his first World Cup title. Getty Images -
A penalty shoot-out has to be one of sport's cruelest moments. Getty Images -
It is Argentina's third World Cup triumph. Getty Images -
Tearful players collapsed on the pitch in celebrations. AP Photo -
The South Americans won 4-2 on penalties, after it finished 3-3 in extra time. Getty Images -
Argentina's Lautaro Martinez and Lionel Messi embrace at the final whistle. Reuters -
Heartbreak for the holders at Lusail Stadium. PA -
Montiel celebrates scoring the winning goal. PA -
Some can't watch, others can. AP Photo
How do their overall records compare?
Ronaldo is the most prolific marksman in football history.
His current record stands at 824 strikes across club and international football, while Messi's 807 goals across competitions leaves him trailing Ronaldo at the time of publication by 17 goals.
Messi has collected a staggering 37 trophies in his senior club career including nine La Ligas, four Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups and one Ligue 1 title with his current club Paris Saint-Germain. Ronaldo has collected 30 major trophies in club football including three Premier League trophies, two La Ligas, five Champions Leagues and one Serie A title.
Who will likely finish their careers with most goals?
As it stands, you have to favour Ronaldo.
The Portuguese signed a lucrative two-and-a-half-year contract to join Al Nassr and has already bagged five goals in four appearances for his new club.
The Saudi Pro League, while no doubt improving, is not up to the same high standards as French football, while the AFC Asian Champions League is also inferior to its European counterpart.
Assuming he stays fit, it's not too wild an assumption to think that Ronaldo will increase his goals tally while also elevating the level of Saudi football.
He could one day in the not-too-distant future be joined by Messi in playing his club football in the Kingdom.
Al Hilal, Al Nassr's Riyadh rivals, have been credited with an interest in luring the Argentine legend to the Gulf. Messi has several endorsement deals with Saudi Arabia and his contract at PSG ends this summer.
Ronaldo and Messi squared-off in a high-profile friendly in Riyadh last month. They could renew their rivalry on a regular basis soon.
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Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the second goal for Riyadh All-Stars against PSG at the King Fahd University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 19, 2023. AP -
Lionel Messi is congratulated by his PSG teammates after opening the scoring. -
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the first goal for Riyadh All-Stars. AP -
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring Riyadh All-Stars' first goal. AFP -
Kylian Mbappe scores the fourth goal for PSG. AFP -
Riyadh All-Star's South Korean defender Jang Hyun-soo levels at 3-3. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo takes a throw-in. Photo: General Entertainment Authority -
Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to take a penalty. Photo: General Entertainment Authority -
Cristiano Ronaldo scores from the penalty spot for the Riyadh All-Stars. Photo: General Entertainment Authority -
Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Paris Saint-Germain. AFP -
PSG forward Lionel Messi next to long-time rival, Riyadh All-Star's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo greets Riyadh All-Stars' Argentinian coach Marcelo Gallardo after being substituted. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his team's third goal. AFP -
Riyadh All-Star's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes a shot. AFP -
PSG's Kylian Mbappe greets Cristiano Ronaldo. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo grimaces. AP -
PSG's Hugo Ekitike (l) celebrates after scoring their fifth. AP -
Lionel Messi takes a shot. AFP -
PSG defender Juan Bernat is shown the red card by Qatari referee Abdulrahman al-Jassim. AFP -
Juan Bernat fouls Riyadh All-Star's Saudi midfielder Salem al-Dawsari, leading to a red card. AFP -
PSG's Lionel Messi scores the opening goal in Riyadh. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo is challenged by PSG's Lionel Messi. AP -
Cristiano Ronaldo and PSG's Marquinhos with officials before the match. Reuters -
Paris Saint-Germain forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar ahead of the match. AFP -
PSG''s Kylian Mbappe and Neymar warm up. AFP -
A fan holds up a banner of Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo inside the stadium before the match. Reuters -
Cristiano Ronaldo during the Riyadh All-Stars against PSG at the King Fahd University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. -
Messi and Ronaldo vie for the ball during the Riyadh All-Stars against PSG at the King Fahd University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: General Entertainment Authority -
Lionel Messi lines up before kick off. Photo: General Entertainment Authority -
Lionel Messi shoots at goal. Photo: General Entertainment Authority -
Saudi All-Stars in action against French champions PSG at the King Fahd University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: General Entertainment Authority
