What is a hat-trick in football?
A hat-trick is the feat of scoring three goals in the same match. It's one of the most celebrated individual achievements in football, and the scorer traditionally takes home the match ball signed by the opposing team.
Origin of the term
It comes from 19th-century English cricket: if a bowler dismissed three batters in consecutive deliveries, his club would gift him a hat as a reward. When football popularised three-goal performances, it borrowed the expression.
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Ver App GratisHat-trick variations
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Classic hat-trick | 3 goals in the same match, not necessarily consecutive |
| Perfect hat-trick | 1 with left foot, 1 with right foot, 1 with a header |
| Consecutive hat-trick | 3 goals in a row with no team-mate scoring in between |
| Flash hat-trick | 3 goals in under 5 minutes |
| Poker | 4 goals in a match |
| Five-goal haul | 5 goals in a match |
World records
- Fastest: 70 seconds in a Premier League match (Sadio Mané for Southampton).
- Most goals in an official match: 16, Stephan Stanis (Racing Lens vs Aubry Asturias, 1942).
- Most goals in a World Cup final: 3, Geoff Hurst (England vs West Germany, 1966).
- Top hat-trick scorers in La Liga: Lionel Messi (36+) and Cristiano Ronaldo (34+).
Hat-trick in a World Cup final
Only one player has ever scored three in a World Cup final: Geoff Hurst, in England's 4-2 win over West Germany in 1966. The "ghost goal" (off the bar, back down) is still debated today.
FAQ
Do penalties count? Yes, every valid open-play or penalty goal counts.
What about own goals? No. Own goals don't count for the scorer.
Does it have to be in an official match? Not for the term itself, but the big records come from official competition.
How many hat-tricks does Cristiano Ronaldo have? More than 60 in official matches between club and country, one of the highest tallies ever.
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