Cristiano Ronaldo extends his hat-trick lead over Lionel Messi after treble Vs Cagliari

Juventus ace Cristiano Ronaldo had a point to prove to his critics after the humiliating Champions League exit against FC Porto last week. And the five-time Ballon d'Or winner struck a 32-minute hat-trick when his side came up against Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday, further mocking his critics. He has now extended his lead in the hat-trick tally against his arch-rival and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi. 

Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick for Juventus vs Cagliari 

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 10th minute, bagging the lead from a scintillating header. He doubled the lead from the spot after being brought down inside the penalty box by the Cagliari goalkeeper during a one-on-one situation. And he succeeded in netting past the goal line with ease. 

The 36-year-old went on to complete his hat-trick in the 32nd minute. Federico Chiesa produced a quick counter-attack, running up the left flank before driving in a low pass across towards Ronaldo. The former Real Madrid superstar beat his marker before firing in a splendid strike in the top left corner to round up an impressive display following the Champions League humiliation. 

Ronaldo vs Messi hat-trick stats: Portuguese leads the way 

With the epic performance against Cagliari on Sunday, Ronaldo has now scored 57 hat-tricks in his decorated career. The Juventus ace has achieved the milestone spanning his stints with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus as well as the Portuguese national team. 

Interestingly, during his six-season stint with Man United, the Portuguese forward struck just one penalty, against Newcastle United. Most of his hat-trick stats have come up with Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Messi has netted 54 hat-tricks in his decorated career, with his first treble coming up against Real Madrid at the age of 19 in 2007. 

Cristiano Ronaldo denies Real Madrid reunion 

Following the hat-trick, Ronaldo has extended his lead at the top of the Serie A goalscoring charts. He has racked up 23 goals in an equal number of games this season while netting 30 goals across all competitions. He remains the undisputed leader statistically with most goals in the squad. 

Amid the Cristiano Ronaldo goals' tally, reports suggested he was keen on a reunion with Real Madrid. But the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has categorically rubbished off the claims. He asserted that he was eager to play more with Juventus with the aim of winning several titles on the way. 

"I can’t wait for the next games and challenges, the next records and trophies. Believe me, this story is still far from being over. The future is tomorrow and there’s still a lot to win for Juventus and Portugal," said the Portuguese forward. 

Image courtesy: Juventus Twitter, Leo Messi Instagram