Ex-Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini has achieved something truly special.
For six glorious years, the Belgian midfield plied his trade at Old Trafford to constant groans from supporters, but continually forced himself into the team under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.
But even during his more successful seasons at both United and Everton, goals weren’t exactly a commodity for the Belgian and he only surpassed double figures for a season once in England.
However, there was a moment during United’s home win over Crystal Palace during the 2017/18 campaign where nobody could keep a straight face because Fellaini was on a hat-trick.
Sadly, we were never graced by the beautiful thing that would have been Fellaini bagging an Old Trafford treble, but fear not because he has achieved the feat out in China.
Fellaini has been turning out for Shandong Luneng Taishan F.C. ever since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave him the chop at United and he’s turned out to be a lethal goalscorer in China.
The afro-sporting midfielder scored 13 goals during the 2019 season and has continued his fine run of form in the final third by striking a treble against Dalian Pro.
Shandong found themselves 1-0 down with 11 minutes to play when Fellaini astonishingly scored three headers in the space of seven minutes to completely flip the game on its head.
Dalian were able to fire back with a goal in stoppage time, but Fellaini’s goals proved the difference and you can check them out down below:
Fellaini has always been renowned for being lethal in the air and it was abundantly clear that Dalian couldn’t deal with the 32-year-old coming to meet crosses and set-pieces with all his might.
Besides, you could probably excuse your defence allowing it to happen twice in quick succession, at a push, but failing to learn the third time around is pretty bonkers.
It was certainly an unorthodox way for Shendong to win their first Chinese Super League game of the season, but no doubt Fellaini will be hoping it’s the first of many.
Fellaini wasn’t the first European player to move to China and he certainly won’t be the last, but we’re inclined to think he could still do a job back on the continent where he made his name.
That being said, we can’t imagine why he’d want to move away from a league where he can score a hat-trick of headers quicker than you could trim his afro.
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