Real Madrid and Wales danger man, Gareth Bale, etched his name in the books of records with his stunning hat-trick against Kashima Antlers from Japan in the second semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 on Wednesday night at the Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium.
His eleven-minute hat-trick meant he becomes only the third player to score three in a single Club World cup game.
The other two are his former Madrid attacking partner Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Luis Suarez who achieved the feat in 2016 and 2015 respectively.
He also joined Ronaldo and Barcelona ace Lionel Messi’s class of players who have scored at three different tournaments.
Bale scored in 2014 and last year. He has so far netted six goals in five games averaging 1.2 goals per game, a record better than Ronaldo (0.88) and Messi (1.00).
Read also: VIDEO: Gareth Bale bags hat trick to send Real Madrid into Club World Cup final
If he scores a goal against Al Ain in the final on Saturday, then he will match the competition’s all-time scorer, Ronaldo, who has seven. A brace will see him set a new record.