Is this the easiest hat-trick of Cristiano Ronaldo's career? Here's how little he needs to magically score 1,000 goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored three goals in fifteen minutes to lead Al Nassr to a 5-3 victory over Al Kholood in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday. The 41-year-old captain finished with a hat-trick, bringing his career total to 985 goals and leaving him 15 short of the 1,000-goal milestone. The match took place at Al-Awwal Park during the 12th round of the league season. The game began with Al Kholood taking an early lead. Julien Domingues opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Al Nassr responded quickly, with Angelo leveling the score in the 24th minute following a pass from Joao Felix. Sadio Mane gave the hosts the lead in the 38th minute, also assisted by Felix. However, Al Kholood equalized just before halftime. Antoine Loic Essomba Bikoula scored in stoppage time to make it 2-2 at the break. Ronaldo dominated the second half. He converted a Joao Felix assist to break the deadlock in the 66th minute. Six minutes later, he struck again off another Felix pass to extend the advantage. In the 81st minute, he completed his hat-trick by jumping over his defender to finish a move created by Mane. These goals put Al Nassr in firm control, leading 5-2. Domingues added a late consolation for Al Kholood from the penalty spot in the 94th minute, completing his brace, but the visitors failed to mount another comeback. The performance highlighted the synergy between Ronaldo, Felix, and Mane. Felix provided two assists for empty-net finishes, while Mane set up the final goal. The trio’s cooperation resulted in all three of Ronaldo’s goals coming within a 15-minute span. This display has drawn comparisons to some of the easiest hat-tricks of his career, given the quality of service he received. Ronaldo’s current tally stands at 985 career goals. He requires 15 more to reach the historic 1,000-goal mark. His next opportunity to close this gap comes on Monday, when Al Nassr travels to face Pakhtakor away. The win extends Al Nassr’s winning run and strengthens their title challenge. In the Saudi Pro League standings, Al Nassr sits in second place with 28 points from 11 matches. They trail leaders Al Qadsiah, who have played one more game. Al Hilal follows in third with 27 points. Al Kholood remains in the lower tier of the table with 12 points. Reports vary slightly on Al Kholood’s exact position, listing them between ninth and tenth. The result underscores the competitive nature of the top of the table, where point differences are minimal. Ronaldo continues to perform at a high level despite his age. His ability to decide matches remains evident, as he turned a tied game into a comfortable win. The upcoming fixture against Pakhtar offers a chance to further reduce the gap to the 1,000-goal barrier. Fans and analysts will watch closely to see if he can achieve this individual feat in the near future. The team’s form suggests they remain in contention for the league title as the season progresses.