Former Manchester United teammate Patrice Evra has commented on Cristiano Ronaldo’s achievement of netting an astonishing 60 career hat-tricks.
He sealed the latest of them against Norwich on Saturday, taking his club tally up to 50 trebles after netting 10 for Portugal. Half of his hat-tricks have been scored since turning 30 years old.
Evra played alongside Ronaldo during his first stint at Old Trafford. Together they won three Premier Leagues and a Champions League among other silverware triumphs.
READ MORE: Manchester United legend Patrice Evra's boxing debut off as celebrity event cancelled
Posting on Instagram after Manchester United ’s 3-2 win over Norwich, Ronaldo said: “30 hat-tricks before 30 and 30 hat-tricks after 30. It’s time to unbalance the scale!” Evra replied: “Bro you need more haters.”
Although it’s unclear whether Evra’s comments are related, Ronaldo had an exchange with United hero Wayne Rooney on the social media platform earlier this month. The Derby boss - who on Monday was relegated to League One with the Rams - suggested that Ronaldo’s return to Manchester had not worked out.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football he said: “You'd have to say, no (it hasn't worked), at the minute.
“He's scored goals, important goals in the Champions League earlier on in the season, he scored the hat-trick against Tottenham. But I think if you're looking at the future of the club, you have to go with younger, hungry players to lift Manchester United over the next two or three years.
“Obviously, Cristiano is getting on a bit and he's obviously not the player he was when he was in his 20s.” Ambiguously commenting on a photo Rooney had posted on Instagram of him in the Sky Sports studio, Ronaldo said: “Two jealous.”
Rooney later responded to this in a Derby press conference by admitting that “there’s not a football player on the planet who isn’t jealous of Cristiano Ronaldo”.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season
