Cristiano Ronaldo's stats are undeniably impressive. The Real Madrid ace has found the back of the net a whopping 13 times in only seven games in the 2014-15 La Liga season.
Despite coming across the recurring injury worries that plagued him towards the end of last season, and much throughout this summer's World Cup tournament, the 29-year-old has scored in eight consecutive games for his club in all competitions.
And in Sunday's Santiago Bernabeu encounter with Athletic Bilbao, which Los Blancos won 5-0, the former Manchester United attacker registered yet another hat-trick, his third in four Liga BBVA games.
Recording 190 goals in 171 appearances for the 10-time Champions league winners, Ronaldo's third strike of the night saw him equal the Spanish Primera Division record for the most number of hat-tricks by a single player, coming shoulder to shoulder with Los Blancos and Athletic Bilbao legends Alfredo Di Stefano and Telmo Zarra's tally of 22.
Some astonishing CR7 stats after the Portuguese ace bagged a hat-trick vs Athletic Bilbao
In the space of 1 year, Cristiano Ronaldo has had 3 separate streaks of scoring in EIGHT (or more) successive matches for club and country.
— Infostrada Sports (@InfostradaLive) October 5, 2014
HAT-TRICK! That is Cristiano Ronaldo's THIRD La Liga hat-trick of the season and he has scored three in the space of only 15 days! #unreal
— Infostrada Sports (@InfostradaLive) October 5, 2014
3 - Cristiano Ronaldo has scored three hat-tricks in his last four La Liga appearances. Beast.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 5, 2014
22 - Cristiano Ronaldo has scored his 22nd La Liga hat-trick, equalling the all-time league record. Monster.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 5, 2014
ALL-TIME RECORD - Cristiano is the THIRD player to score 22 hat-tricks in La Liga history, equalling Telmo Zarra and Alfredo Di Stéfano.
— MisterChip (English) (@MisterChiping) October 5, 2014
Cristiano is only the second player to score three hat-tricks in the first 7 matchrounds of a La Liga season, after Mariano Martín (1943-44)
— MisterChip (English) (@MisterChiping) October 5, 2014
Cristiano is the first player to score 13+ goals in the first 7 matchrounds of a La Liga season since 1943 (Echevarría)
— MisterChip (English) (@MisterChiping) October 5, 2014
However, should the Portuguese attacker's 88th minute strike have stood?
Much debate surrounds the fact whether Real Madrid's fifth goal was even legal, with many on Twitter accusing Cristiano Ronaldo of a handball, using his elbow to tuck the ball past Gorka Iraizoz Moreno.
A HANDBALL? Reaction on Twitter as the Real Madrid superstar completed his hat-trick on Sunday
Hate to say it but Ronaldo's 3rd goal was handball.
— Tanveer (@TheRealTanveer) October 6, 2014
Ronaldo completing his hat trick with a handball. Skill.
— Joseph (@JoeyyIrias) October 5, 2014
Ronaldo scores a handball then celebrates like he's won the World Cup
— Dat Guy (@YourBoyArsene) October 5, 2014
Ronaldo scores his third goal of the match and he celebrates like he did a fantastic job... It was hand ball. CHILL.
— AJ (@AJimenez_8) October 5, 2014
Header, tap in and hand ball, congrats Ronaldo for the hattrick.
— a.r. (@_Arabek) October 5, 2014
This fan sparked the deep CR7 vs Messi debate with this tweet
Messi actually scored an intentional hand ball so an accidental elbow goal from Ronaldo should be fine
— MF17 (@ImaMakeIt1Day) October 5, 2014
HUMOR: How Barca fans saw CR7's goal. Are things being exaggerated?
When looking at replay of the goal, it remains unclear whether the ball came off Ronaldo's hip or elbow before slipping into the left corner of the net. Should the two-time Ballon d'Or winners' hat-trick have been allowed? Watch the vine below and you be the judge.
Cristiano Ronaldo's third goal vs Athletic Bilbao. Was it a handball?
Cristiano Ronaldo converts hat trick with his elbow. That's 3 hat tricks in 4 matches. 5-0.http://t.co/FbUxZboJZW https://t.co/bYosCPTJUf
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) October 5, 2014
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