Football
Understanding Hat-Tricks in Football: A Complete Guide
Join us as we take a look at the origin, related terms and key players associated with the term ‘hat-trick’ in the world of football.
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Scoring goals is the most difficult task in football. While scoring a hat tick is even more challenging. Considering how difficult it is to normally score on a football pitch, a hat-trick in any match is regarded on a different pedestal. With that in mind here we answer the question of what is a hat trick in football?
A ‘hat-trick’ is commonly the term used when a footballer scores three goals in a single match. The goals do not need to be in any particular order and can be scored at any moment of the match.
With how rare hattricks are the scorer is awarded with the match ball. Players treat these match balls with respect and they are treated like any other award. One of the best strikers in the world, Erling Halland in 2019 even come out and said, "I have five hat-trick balls in my bed and I sleep well with them. They are my girlfriends. I love them all."
What is the origin of the term ‘hat-trick’?
The term ‘hat trick’ was first quoted in cricket in 1858, when H.H. Stephenson took three wickets on three consecutive deliveries. Since then the term has massively picked up and been used intensively in many sports alongside cricket.
Sports like football, hockey, rugby, water polo, Formula 1 & Formula Racing have all adopted the term and use it in their own capacity.
What does ‘a brace’ stand for?
Another similar term to hat-trick in football is ‘a brace’. In basic terms, when a footballer scores two goals in a single match it is described as ‘a brace’. While during the match if a player has scored two goals it is also described as being ‘on a hat-trick’, meaning that the player is just one goal away from converting their brace into a hat-trick and taking the match ball home.
What is a perfect hat-trick?
If you thought scoring a hat-trick was a difficult feast, scoring a ‘perfect hat-trick’ is even more difficult and rare. Perfect hat-trick means scoring three goals, one with your left foot, one with your right and one with the head.
Which players have scored the most hattricks in football history?
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Erwin Helmchen, a German striker, leads the list of most hat-tricks in football history, he scored an incredible 141 hat-tricks in his career. While Brazilian legend Pele is second on the list with 92 hat-tricks to his name in official matches. But it is important to note that most of both Halmchen and Pele’s hat-tricks came in friendly matches.
When we talk about modern football, just like most other attacking records, this list is also topped by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Portuguese superstar has scored an impressive 66 hat-tricks in his long and illustrious career. While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has 57 hat-tricks to his name.
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Talking about the English Premier League, Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero holds the record for the most trebles in the league with 12 to his name. The all-time top scorer in the league used Alan Shearer with 11 to hold this record until it was passed by the Argentine striker.
Lionel Messi holds the record of most hat-tricks in the LaLiga, with 36, while Ronaldo is also close by on the list with 32 trebles. In the Serie A, Former AC Milan and Roma star Gunnar Nordahl holds the record with 17 hat-tricks to his name. While in the German Bundesliga, Gerd Muller holds the record with 32 trebles in the league. Former French striker Thadée Cisowski is the footballer with the most Ligue 1 hat-tricks in history, with 22.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are once again tied for the most titles in the UEFA Champions League, with both superstars recording eighth in the top tier of European club competition.
Talking about international tournaments, France’s Michel Platini holds the record for most hat-tricks in Euros history with two to his name. In contrast, Gabriel Batistuta (1994, 1998), Sandor Kocsis (1954), Just Fontaine (1958), and Gerd Muller (1970) are the only four players to score multiple hat-tricks in FIFA World Cup history. While Kylian Mbappe (2022) and Geoff Hurst (1966) are the only two players to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final.
With over a decade of experience in sports writing, Hardik Malhotra has built a distinguished career in the internet industry. His expertise spans across various domains including Art Direction, Web Content Writing, and Content Management, all underscored by a high degree of initiative. Hardik’s passion for sports is reflected in his professional journey and personal interests.