Bale, Benzema Are Perfect Support for Another Cristiano Ronaldo Record

Another day, another Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick. Another record broken.

Real Madrid's 5-0 pumping of Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu was nothing extraordinary, precisely because the extraordinary exploits of one man are so commonplace.

Ronaldo netted three times against Athletic and it was his 22nd hat-trick in La Liga.

That takes him alongside two of the greatest players ever to grace the league, in Telmo Zarra and Alfredo Di Stefano.

Those players both also netted 22 hat-tricks, except it took them far longer to do it than Ronaldo did.

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Ronaldo signed from Manchester United in 2009 and so this is his sixth season in La Liga. Di Stefano took 13 seasons, Zarra 15.

There is no doubt that Ronaldo is one of the two best players in this era, the other being Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

But both of these phenomenal footballers have brilliant support from their team-mates.

Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema are perfect foils for Real Madrid's rapier.

Ronaldo has 13 goals in just six matches this season, which is an insane statistic.

On Sunday night it was Bale who laid on two of Ronaldo's goals. Benzema also scored twice himself, but his selfless hold-up work often earns his team-mates space and time to work their magic.

The trio are informally known as the BBC; Bale, Benzema and Cristiano.

Ronaldo said after the game, per the Daily Mail: "The BBC is working well. We are used to playing together and we keep scoring goals."

And Ronaldo also spoke about Benzema's work, according to Inside Spanish Football.

He said: "I’m really happy for Karim. He’s the best centre-forward in La Liga and one of the best in the world. He’s doing a wonderful job. The criticism he gets is just a part of being a professional footballer and we just have to rise above such things."

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Both Benzema and Bale have received unfair criticism in recent weeks, while with 17 goals in 11 games in all competitions, Ronaldo is hogging the limelight.

Bale left his shooting boots at home against Athletic, with the Welshman guilty of a couple of bad misses.

However, his overall performance, work-rate and contribution was excellent and his profligacy can be excused.

He crossed early on for Ronaldo to head home from close range, and then when fed by Benzema set up Ronaldo to finish again in the second half.

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Benzema, meanwhile, was busy offering a fierce riposte to those who questioned his influence on the side.

With excellent work for the team as well as two goals, to add to the winner he notched against Ludogorets in midweek, the naysayers have been left with egg on their faces.

Behind the BBC, the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez have also been playing well.

While they lack defensive solidity, in games at home against weak opposition—like, it sadly has to be said, Athletic Club are at the moment—those six players are incredible to watch.

And the most incredible by far is Ronaldo. And as he keeps smashing through records, he won't let you forget it.