Ronaldo hits four as Real Madrid crush Elche

World player of the year notches his 25th hat-trick for Champions League holders

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his fourth goal against Elche at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.  Photo: Sergio Perez/Reuters
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his fourth goal against Elche at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. Photo: Sergio Perez/Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 25th hat-trick for Real Madrid as he grabbed four goals in last night’s 5-1 home win over Elche.

Three days after netting three in an 8-2 victory away to Deportivo La Coruna, the current holder of the Fifa Ballon d’Or award remarkably went one better at the Bernabeu for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

Edu Albacar had briefly put Elche in front, with a 15th-minute penalty but that only stirred Real into action. Gareth Bale scored Real’s equaliser after 20 minutes before Ronaldo took over, burying penalties for his first and third goals, either side of heading home a Marcelo cross from the left for his second.

A measured pass from Bale gave Ronaldo shooting space for his fourth goal in second-half stoppage time to complete the rout.