Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates accidental goal with back but sees stellar 14-year run end

Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed 40 goals for the third consecutive calendar year, but his 2025 ended on a bum note as one streak ended.

The 40-year-old took his career tally to 957 on Tuesday, but Al Nassr’s perfect start to the season ended in a 2-2 draw with Al Ettifaq.

A brace from former Liverpool star Georginio Wijnaldum meant Steven Gerrard‘s old Saudi Pro League side earned a point.

Wijnaldum had given Al-Ettifaq a shock lead inside 20 minutes, before Joao Felix restored parity at the start of the second half.

It was then the latter’s strike from inside the area that struck his Portuguese compatriot Ronaldo and deflected into the net.

A delighted CR7 instantly held up his arm in jubilation as the ball went in, before he ran off to complete his trademark Siu celebration.

The goal, which came off Ronaldo’s back, meant the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has finished 2025 with 41 strikes for club and country.

Ronaldo’s hat-trick record ended

However, he was unable to add further to his tally, meaning that his legendary record of scoring at least hat-trick in every year is over.

The forward had hit at least one treble in every calendar year between 2010 and 2024, but was unable to notch one up in 2025.

Ronaldo last took home the matchball in a 6-0 thrashing against Al Wehda in May 2024, but has only been bagging braces since.

Cruelly, the ex-Manchester United star thought he’d scored a hat-trick last time out, but VAR ruled out his third goal against Al Akhdoud.

Ronaldo was later denied the chance to be the matchwinner in his final outing of 2025, when Wijnaldum scored his second late on.

Al Nassr were unable to grab a winner, which meant their perfect run of ten straight Saudi Pro League victories ended with their first draw.

As a result, Al Taawoun have closed the gap to just three points, with the two teams clashing after the winter break at the end of January.

Al Nassr boss Jorge Jesus said afterwards: “It was an entertaining match for both sides, and one of Al Nassr’s best performances this season, despite our clear dominance.

“Football doesn’t always reward the superior team in every match, and the statistics were in our favour.”

He added: “I am satisfied with our performance and the many chances we created. I don’t agree with those who say Al Nassr needed a wake-up call. We’ve won all our matches except for one draw.”

Getty

Complete List of Ronaldo Hat-tricks

04/05/2024 – Al-Nassr Al-Wehda 6-0 Saudi Pro League
02/04/2024 – Al-Nassr Abha 8-0 Saudi Pro League
30/03/2024 – Al-Nassr Al Taee 5-1 Saudi Pro League
25/08/2023 – Al-Nassr Al-Fateh 5-0 Saudi Pro League
25/02/2023 – Al-Nassr Damac 3-0 Saudi Pro League
09/02/2023 – Al-Nassr Al-Wehda 4-0 Saudi Pro League
16/04/2022 – Manchester United Norwich City 3-2 Premier League
12/03/2022 – Manchester United Tottenham 3-2 Premier League
12/10/2021 – Portugal Luxembourg 5-0 World Cup Qualifier
14/03/2021 – Juventus Cagliari 3-1 Serie A
06/01/2020 – Juventus Cagliari 4-0 Serie A
14/11/2019 – Portugal Lithuania 6-0 Euros Qualifier
10/09/2019 – Portugal Lithuania 5-1 Euros Qualifier
05/06/2019 – Portugal Switzerland 3-1 UEFA Nations League
12/03/2019 – Juventus Atletico Madrid 3-0 Champions League
15/06/2018 – Portugal Spain 3-3 World Cup
18/03/2018 – Real Madrid Girona 6-3 La Liga
10/02/2018 – Real Madrid Real Sociedad 5-2 La Liga
31/08/2017 – Portugal Faroe Islands 5-1 World Cup Qualifier
02/05/2017 – Real Madrid Atletico Madrid 3-0 Champions League
18/04/2017 – Real Madrid Bayern Munich 4-2 Champions League
18/12/2016 – Real Madrid Kashima Antlers 4-2 Club World Cup
19/11/2016 – Real Madrid Atletico Madrid 3-0 La Liga
29/10/2016 – Real Madrid Alaves 4-1 La Liga
07/10/2016 – Portugal Andorra 6-0 World Cup Qualifier
12/04/2016 – Real Madrid Wolfsburg 3-0 Champions League
05/03/2016 – Real Madrid Celta Vigo 7-1 La Liga
31/01/2016 – Real Madrid Espanyol 6-0 La Liga
08/12/2015 – Real Madrid Malmo 8-0 Champions League
15/09/2015 – Real Madrid Shakhtar Donetsk 4-0 Champions League
12/09/2015 A Real Madrid Espanyol 6-0 La Liga
13/06/2015 A Portugal Armenia 3-2 Euros Qualifier
23/05/2015 H Real Madrid Getafe 7-3 La Liga
17/05/2015 A Real Madrid Espanyol 4-1 La Liga
02/05/2015 A Real Madrid Sevilla 3-2 La Liga
05/04/2015 H Real Madrid Granada 9-1 La Liga
06/12/2014 H Real Madrid Celta Vigo 3-0 La Liga
05/10/2014 H Real Madrid Athletic Bilbao 5-0 La Liga
23/09/2014 H Real Madrid Elche 5-1 La Liga
20/09/2014 A Real Madrid Deportivo La Coruna 8-2 La Liga
19/11/2013 A Portugal Sweden 3-2 World Cup Qualifier
09/11/2013 H Real Madrid Real Sociedad 5-1 La Liga
30/10/2013 H Real Madrid Sevilla 7-3 La Liga
17/09/2013 A Real Madrid Galatasaray 6-1 Champions League
06/09/2013 A Portugal Northern Ireland 4-2 World Cup Qualifier
09/02/2013 H Real Madrid Sevilla 4-1 La Liga
27/01/2013 H Real Madrid Getafe 4-0 La Liga
09/01/2013 H Real Madrid Celta Vigo 4-0 Copa del Rey
03/10/2012 A Real Madrid Ajax 4-1 Champions League
30/09/2012 H Real Madrid Deportivo La Coruna 5-1 La Liga
11/04/2012 A Real Madrid Atletico Madrid 4-1 La Liga
12/02/2012 H Real Madrid Levante 4-2 La Liga
17/12/2011 A Real Madrid Sevilla 6-2 La Liga
06/11/2011 H Real Madrid Osasuna 7-1 La Liga
22/10/2011 A Real Madrid Malaga 4-0 La Liga
24/09/2011 H Real Madrid Rayo Vallecano 6-2 La Liga
28/08/2011 A Real Madrid Real Zaragoza 6-0 La Liga
10/05/2011 H Real Madrid Getafe 4-0 La Liga
07/05/2011 A Real Madrid Sevilla 6-2 La Liga
03/03/2011 H Real Madrid Malaga 7-0 La Liga
09/01/2011 H Real Madrid Villarreal 4-2 La Liga
22/12/2010 H Real Madrid Levante 8-0 Copa del Rey
20/11/2010 H Real Madrid Athletic Bilbao 5-1 La Liga
23/10/2010 H Real Madrid Racing Santander 6-1 La Liga
05/05/2010 A Real Madrid Mallorca 4-1 La Liga
12/01/2008 – Manchester United Newcastle 6-0 Premier League