Cristiano Ronaldo set a new La Liga record of 40 goals in a season as Real Madrid flogged Almeria 8-1 in their final match of the season.

The Portuguese former World Player of the Year bundled in at the far post after only four minutes at the Bernabeu, taking him past the previous best mark jointly held by former Real striker Hugo Sanchez and ex-Athletic Bilbao frontman Telmo Zarra.

He drove the ball beyond visiting goalkeeper Esteban to give the home side a 7-1 lead on 77 minutes.

Mexico's Sanchez bagged his tally in the 1989/90 campaign and Zarra in 1950/51.

Ronaldo has scored 53 in all competitions this season, including six in the Champions League and seven in the King's Cup, where he netted the winner in the final against Barcelona.

Emmanuel Adeyabor scored a hat-trick with a Karim Benzema double and a late strike from substitute Joselu good enough for Real to finish the season with 102 goals from 38 games. They wound up four points behind champions Barcelona in second place.

Kalu Uche scored for Almeria in the first period as the visitors reached half-time trailing 2-1 before the roof caved in. They were already relegated from La Liga.