Cristiano Ronaldo makes history with 11th perfect hat-trick in career: How many does Lionel Messi have?

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to add remarkable achievements to his career at 41, with another outstanding performance for Al-Nassr reigniting comparisons with longtime rival Lionel Messi. The Portuguese forward has reached a milestone that highlights his extraordinary versatility in front of goal, adding another record to an already historic collection of scoring achievements.

Ronaldo produced the latest display during Al-Nassr’s 5-3 Saudi Pro League victory over Al-Kholood on October 29, 2026. His three second-half goals helped secure the win, but the manner in which he scored them made the occasion particularly memorable.

Al-Nassr’s captain scored all three of his goals within 15 minutes, taking control of the match after Al-Kholood had threatened to make life difficult for the hosts. His first goal arrived in the 66th minute, before he added a header six minutes later and completed the hat-trick with his left foot in the 81st minute.

The combination of finishes made it a perfect hat-trick, a rare achievement that requires a player to score once with each foot and once with their head in the same match. According to multiple statistics outlets, the latest performance brought Ronaldo’s career tally to 11 perfect hat-tricks, the highest figure attributed to any player.

The achievement also represented his 67th career hat-trick and his first treble in 908 days, according to the supplied figures. Ronaldo’s three goals took his overall career tally to 985, leaving him just 15 away from the extraordinary milestone of 1,000 official goals.

How many perfect hat-tricks does Lionel Messi have?

While Ronaldo has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to score in different ways, Messi has yet to record a perfect hat-trick during his professional career. The Argentine has zero perfect hat-tricks, despite having scored approximately 62 career hat-tricks.

The contrast is particularly interesting because both players have enjoyed extraordinary longevity and consistently delivered goals at the highest level. Ronaldo’s latest achievement gives him an advantage in this specific category, although it reflects the different characteristics of their playing styles rather than providing a complete measure of their abilities.

Messi is predominantly left-footed and has built much of his goalscoring reputation around close control, dribbling, precise finishing and creative movement. Although he has scored with his right foot and produced memorable headers, neither has featured as frequently in his game as his exceptional left-footed finishing.

Why Ronaldo has the advantage in this category

Ronaldo’s physical attributes and versatility have helped him achieve perfect hat-tricks throughout his career. His aerial ability, powerful jumping, and confidence with both feet make him particularly dangerous in different attacking situations.

Messi, meanwhile, generally operates in positions that allow him to create chances and finish attacks with his preferred foot. He has scored some memorable headers, including his famous goal against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final, but aerial finishing has never been a defining part of his game.

That difference helps explain why Ronaldo has reached 11 perfect hat-tricks while Messi remains without one. The statistic highlights Ronaldo’s broader range of finishing methods, rather than establishing superiority in every aspect of goalscoring.