Joao Felix made a sensational debut within the 2025-26 Saudi Professional League season by scoring a hat-trick in simply his third recreation with Al Nassr, immediately elevating pleasure for what’s to come back. With such an instantaneous impression, comparisons shortly emerged on how lengthy it took Cristiano Ronaldo to make the identical mark on the membership.
After struggling to seek out constant minutes in Europe, Al Nassr secured Joao Felix from Chelsea for a reported €30 million, with an extra €20 million in potential add-ons. Cristiano Ronaldo performed a key function in persuading the 25-year-old to affix the Saudi aspect, personally convincing him to be a part of the formidable venture.
Felix embraced the problem, keen for normal taking part in time forward of the 2026 World Cup with Portugal. The attacking midfielder shortly built-in into Jorge Jesus’ squad, and inside three appearances, he already celebrated his first hat-trick for Al Nassr.
How lengthy did it take Ronaldo to attain his first Al Nassr hat-trick?
Joao Felix featured within the Saudi Tremendous Cup semifinal, the place he scored a objective, and within the ultimate, earlier than making historical past within the Saudi Professional League. On Matchday 1 towards Al Taawoun, he scored within the seventh minute with a left-foot strike, adopted by a thunderous objective within the 67th minute, and capped the evening with a 3rd within the 87th minute, finishing a exceptional hat-trick in simply his third recreation for the membership.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts through the Saudi Professional League match between Al Nassr and Al-Ittifaq Membership at Mrsool Park Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo, against this, additionally made an instantaneous impression at Al Nassr, however it took him barely longer to succeed in the identical milestone. His first recreation for the Saudi aspect got here within the Professional League on January 22, 2023, towards Al Ettifaq in a 1-0 win, the place he didn’t rating.
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Ronaldo’s subsequent alternative got here within the Saudi Tremendous Cup semifinal on January 26, 2023, a 3-1 loss to Al Ittihad, the place he once more failed to attain. His first objective arrived in his third look, throughout a 2-2 draw towards Al Fateh within the SPL.
Every thing modified in his fourth recreation: on February 9, 2023, Al Nassr defeated Al Wehda 4-0, with Ronaldo scoring all 4 objectives. Not solely did he obtain the hat-trick milestone, however he went additional, securing a “poker” of objectives to assert all three factors.
Since arriving in December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored six hat-tricks for Al Nassr, all within the Saudi Professional League. Joao Felix, along with his speedy begin, has the potential to turn into simply as influential as Ronaldo if he maintains this exceptional type.
