Footballing icon Cristiano Ronaldo had his first hat-trick in four games played for Al-Nassr - reaching his 500th career league goal last night.

The Al-Nassr forward scored four goals in a single match to aid his side in trashing Al Wehda 4-0 in the Saudi Pro League.

The Portugal forward, who turned 38 on Sunday, struck in a 40-minute period on either side of the break.

On his page on Twitter, Ronaldo said it was a great feeling to have clinched such a victory for his team and set a record in his football career.

Great feeling to have scored 4 goals and reaching my 500th league goal in a very solid win by the team!💪🏼
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/o2ZfV6fYBu

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) February 9, 2023

The 38-year-old now has 61 hat-tricks, 30 before he was 30, and 31 hat-tricks since he turned 30. He has now scored 503 league goals for five different clubs in five different leagues.

Cristiano Ronaldo has unbalanced the scale. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/602nymbJyk

— TCR. (@TeamCRonaldo) February 10, 2023

The GOAT debate was partly thought to have been settled after Messi won the most precious trophy, [World Cup] in his football career for Argentina during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

It was deemed by many as a befitting crowing of Messi, whose greatness has long been questioned because of the absence of the most coveted trophy in world football, the World Cup trophy, in his cabinet.

In light of this, footballing legends from across the globe lined up to insist the 35-year-old had earned the title of the world’s Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T).

The debate is over… Messi is the greatest of all time 🐐 pic.twitter.com/e7Zv5k9HPJ

— Koray DURKAL (@kdurkal) December 18, 2022

However, Ronaldo's latest record has been greeted with mixed reactions on social media with fans of both footballing icons reigniting the feud of who the real GOAT is.

Comments making waves say that it took Ronaldo only four games to score a hat-trick since he joined the Saudi side [Al-Nassr's] - while Messi is yet to have a hat-trick in his 59 games played since he joined the French side, Paris Saint Germain.

It took Cristiano Ronaldo 4 games and Lionel Messi still has 0. 😂

The levels are different. pic.twitter.com/4lwAofUzl7

— The CR7 Timeline. (@TimelineCR7) February 9, 2023

Fans of Ronaldo have since lauded him for making a huge record in his football career. They insist that the Portuguese striker still holds the record of being the Greatest of All Time (GOAT).

BREAKING: Cristiano Ronaldo scores all 4 goals in Al-Nassr’s 4-0 win at Al-Wehda, passing 500 League goals in his career. He’s now scored 61 hat-tricks, 30 before he was 30, 31 since he turned 30. He’s now 38.
Astounding. Congrats 🐐 ⁦@Cristiano⁩ 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/pCipxbC0DT

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 9, 2023

My Goat, Your Goat, Our Goat. The greatest ever pic.twitter.com/DeO0I5wwgk

— KALYJAY (@gyaigyimii) February 9, 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 503 league career goals
152 weak foot goals
824 official career goals

Man keep setting Records ! The entire world can't forget you in the next 1000 years to come. Congratulation on your new record
I know my GOAT pic.twitter.com/67HTtYR09b

— Pamilerin Adegoke (@UnclePamilerin) February 9, 2023

They tag Ronaldo fans as shameless but Messi fans are so naive.. you claim you won a rigged World Cup but you are ranting over four goals scored by the true Goat??😂😂

— DEAR GOD🇬🇭❤️ (@mrlamar01) February 10, 2023

Messi has no hattrick in 2 years but you want to compare him to Ronaldo? smh

— Twilight (@the_marcoli_boy) February 10, 2023

Messi is faking injury just to miss PSG’s game against Bayern Munich. This is your Goat ? 😂 coward Goat

— Alpha SarkCess (@AlphaSarkces) February 10, 2023

If we actually made Messi fans cry and post Messi World Cup because of CR7 goals yesterday then this means yaw dabo didn’t deserve the cup.., ridged tournament 👍

— uncle_fiii (@Uncle__fii) February 10, 2023

But fans of the Paris Saint Germain forward have since refuted the claim of Ronaldo being the GOAT in football history.

Messi doing GOAT Things here, Ronaldo is busily scoring 4 goals against Al wahed in the camels league😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/hJ5Acg5P47

— Big Teaspoon (@Big_Teaspoon_) February 9, 2023

Messi would put 15 past this guy from outside the box... 😂
Ronaldo scored four goals against this goalkeeper 😃 whose team had only 5 wins out of 17 matches played in the 'Saudi PL' and Penaldo's fans are having a storm in a tea cup. pic.twitter.com/aGu0MYKrV4

— Muhammad Abdurrahman (@mams2k) February 10, 2023

4 goals against 11 construction workers in the desert. They say, “GOAT debate settled.” God please help these people.😭 pic.twitter.com/U2d8SdJnZM

— FCB Albiceleste (@FCBAlbiceleste) February 9, 2023

Messi is the greatest there is, greatest there was and greatest there ever will be. We are enjoying eternal happiness. pic.twitter.com/hk7dlvgdj4

— FCB Albiceleste (@FCBAlbiceleste) February 10, 2023

Just a reminder;

🎙Ronaldo said: Golden boots are better than Ballon d'Ors because they're from raw stats and not Voting

🇦🇷Reality: Messi Wins most Golden boots in history...

Good morning to those who are fans to the true GOAT 🐐 pic.twitter.com/XCWAj4dpT5

— KHA CHI ❼ (@SonOfMargret) February 10, 2023