Watch: Ronaldo scores five, breaks Real Madrid’s La Liga goal record
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo recorded five goals (including a hat trick in just 20 minutes) in Saturday’s 6–0 rout of Espanyol, and in doing broke his club’s all-time La Liga scoring record (228) with his 230th tally. The goals are Ronaldo’s first of the new season after going scoreless in Real’s opening two fixtures.
At the Cornellà-El Prat, the Portuguese international ensured that drought wouldn’t last much longer. Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 7th minute when he latched on to a long pass over the top of the back line from Luka Modric at midfield and slotted it home easily past Espanyol goalkeeper Pau López.
In the 16th minute, Gareth Bale was brought down in the 18-yard-box by Alvaro Gonzalez. Ronaldo stepped up and confidently fired the subsequent penalty into the bottom righthand corner.
Ronaldo completed his hat trick in the 20th minute on a leftfooted volley from six yards out off a brilliant cross from Bale on the left side of the box. With his third goal of the match, Ronaldo tied former Real legend Raúl with his goal No. 228 in a Madrid kit.
Karim Benzema made it 4–0 Real in the 28th minute on an assist from Ronaldo, before Ronaldo scored yet again in the 61st to take over sole possession of Real’s La Liga scoring mark.
Ronaldo would tally his fifth goal for good measure in the 81st minute off a pass from Lucas Vázquez.
