Cristiano Ronaldo hits 23rd career hat trick, as Real Madrid beats Celta Vigo

Madrid: Portugese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 23rd hat trick of his career, taking his La Liga club Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Celta Vigo Saturday.

In the process, Ronaldo scored his 200th La Liga goal and has now scored in 17 straight home league matches.

Ronaldo's Real Madrid teammate and compatriot Kleper "Pepe" da Liveran noted after the match that Ronaldo "gets better with every game".

Ronaldo started off his scoring spree in the 36th minute by netting a penalty kick, which was controversially awarded.

Celta's Argentine trainer Eduardo Berizzo called the first goal "a game-changer".

Real Madrid dominated the first half and continued as it had begun in the second half as well, with Ronaldo scoring again in the 65th minute by clipping a pass from Toni Kroos past Alvaraz and then completed his hat trick by left-footing a cross from Marcelo into the net in the 81th minute.