In football, a player is considered to have scored a hat-trick if they score three goals (not necessarily consecutively) in a single match. All goals scored within the regulation 90 minutes, plus any additional stoppage time if needed, are counted, but goals scored in penalty shootouts are excluded from the tally. The first recorded hat-trick in an international match was on March 2, 1878, when John McDougall scored three goals for Scotland in a 7-2 victory over England. Since then, many players have scored three or more goals in a match, either at club or international level. Here are the top 10 football players with most hat tricks in history, as compiled by bestsoccertips.com.
Top 10 players with the most hat-tricks in football history:
1. Erwin Helmchen (141)
Erwin Helmchen was a German footballer who played as a forward and is considered the all-time leading goal scorer in official matches. He played from the 1920s to the 1950s for several clubs throughout his career, including FV Brandenburg Cottbus, PSV Chemnitz, SG Chemnitz Nord, and VfB Lübeck. Helmchen’s impressive goal-scoring record, especially for PSV Chemnitz, where he scored over 456 goals in more than 232 appearances, was due to his consistent ability to find the back of the net.
According to RSSSF, Erwin Helmchen scored at least 141 hat-tricks in official matches alone. This figure includes 8 goals in 2 occasions, 7 goals in 3 occasions, 6 goals 10 times, and 5 goals 15 times. Furthermore, Helmchen scored a total of 987 goals in 577 official matches, making him the second-highest goal scorer in tournament matches with over 720 goals. He also holds the record for being the second-highest goal scorer for a team in official matches, with at least 667 goals.
2. Pelé (92)
According to the Guinness World Records, Pelé scored 92 hat-tricks in his career for Santos, New York Cosmos, and Brazil. The legendary Brazilian player still holds the record for the youngest player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup match, achieving this feat in 1958. Additionally, Pelé holds the record for the most hat-tricks scored by a Brazilian player with 7. One of those hat-tricks was scored in the 1958 World Cup semi-final against France; he then scored a brace against Sweden in the final, which Brazil won 5-2.
Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He won three FIFA World Cup titles with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970, scoring a total of 12 goals in World Cup tournaments. Pele played for Santos FC in Brazil from 1956 to 1974, where he scored over 1,000 career goals. He also played for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1977. Pele was known for his technical skill, speed, and scoring ability from all positions.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (65)
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 63 hat-tricks in his career, more than any other currently active player. He became the first player to reach 10 international hat-tricks when he scored three goals for Portugal in a 5-0 victory over Luxembourg on October 12, 2021. He is widely acknowledged by many fans as one of the greatest goal scorers in football history.
Ronaldo possesses exceptional technical skills, including dribbling ability, accurate shooting, and precise passing, enabling him to score from various positions on the field. The Portuguese player also has a strong mentality and an insatiable desire to win, which helps him stay focused and motivated to score even in challenging situations.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 64th and 65th hat-tricks were notably achieved when he scored two hat-tricks within three days, most recently in Al Nassr’s dominant 8-0 victory over Abha in the Saudi Pro League. The veteran forward, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, contributed three goals and added two more in the first half for the team that has won the Saudi Arabian title 9 times. The match took place on Tuesday.
This latest hat-trick marks his third hat-trick of the current season, contributing to his impressive performance in Al Nassr’s 5-1 victory over Al Tai on Saturday. The Portuguese star is currently the league’s top scorer with 29 goals.
4. Lionel Messi (57)
Lionel Messi has scored 57 hat-tricks in his career, primarily for Barcelona and Argentina. The 2022 World Cup champion is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, and his goal-scoring ability is a crucial part of his legacy.
However, some argue that Messi’s goal-scoring ability is underrated because he is often praised for his dribbling skills and creative ability to take on defenders rather than his goal-scoring prowess. Additionally, one of the reasons Messi has fewer hat-tricks is because he is not selfish in giving away penalty kicks or clear-cut opportunities to teammates whenever he completes a hat-trick.
5. Ali Ashfaq (35)
Ali Ashfaq is considered the greatest footballer from the Maldives to date, notably being honored by the IFFHS as the “Second Top Goal Scorer in the World” in 2013. Nicknamed “The Steel Man,” he is regarded as one of the finest players in the South Asian region.
As a prolific goal scorer and an individualist, he is an expert in free kicks and an excellent finisher. His trademark goal-scoring style is beating defenders and getting past goalkeepers to score! Ashfaq was the first Maldivian footballer to play abroad and is the only player to win titles with a foreign club. He has earned 90 caps at the international level and is the all-time leading goal scorer for the Maldives with 57 goals.
6. Robert Lewandowski (31)
Robert Lewandowski is considered one of the greatest strikers of all time, as well as one of the most successful players in Bundesliga and Bayern Munich history. He has scored over 600 career goals for club and country. Lewandowski currently has 31 official hat-tricks in his career.
The Polish legend, nicknamed Lewangoalski for his heading and two-footed scoring ability, is a versatile forward with the necessary attributes of a traditional number nine, such as height, strength, balance, speed, intelligent movement, and the ability to use both feet. Despite excelling as a goal scorer inside the penalty area, he also possesses excellent technique, quick feet, adept dribbling, and powerful shooting with both feet. Even at 35 years old playing for Barcelona, Lewandowski remains one of the world’s top strikers.
7. Luis Suarez (30)
Nicknamed El Pistolero (“The Gunman”), Luis Suárez is considered one of the outstanding players of his generation and one of the greatest forwards of all time. He has won two European Golden Shoes, the Eredivisie Golden Boot, the Premier League Golden Boot, and the Pichichi Trophy, while scoring over 500 goals in his career for both club and country.
Suárez is renowned for his exceptional off-the-ball movement, helping him create space and find goal-scoring opportunities. The Uruguayan player also possesses a natural goal-scoring instinct and can anticipate the ball’s position to score. Luis Suárez’s latest hat-trick came for his team, Atlético Mineiro, in a match against Gremio, where he scored 3 goals in just 19 minutes.
8. Ali Mabkhout (26)
Ali Mabkhout is one of the notable footballers from the United Arab Emirates, a hero of Al Jazira in the UAE Pro League. With over a decade spent with the club, Mabkhout has amassed an impressive tally: 211 goals in 283 appearances. His contribution is not only about consistency but also the significant firepower he brings to the team.
With finesse and excellent goal-scoring ability, Mabkhout has scored numerous hat-tricks in his career – totaling 26 so far. This is a testament to his excellence not only in scoring goals but also in demonstrating leadership and individual strength on the field.
9. Vyacheslav Zahovaiko (26)
Vyacheslav Zahovaiko, a prominent figure in Estonian football, has transitioned from being an excellent player to a respected coach at Gambia’s Real de Banjul. With a colorful career, Zahovaiko has experienced various stages of playing and contributed significantly to his country’s football development.
To date, Zahovaiko has scored no less than 26 hat-tricks for the teams he has represented, both in club colors and in the national team jersey of Estonia. His versatility and outstanding goal-scoring ability have contributed to building his reputation in international football, and his current role as a coach further underscores Zahovaiko’s influence and talent across all fronts of football.
10. Marc Lloyd Williams (24)
Marc Lloyd Williams, one of Wales’s renowned footballers, has etched his name in history as the all-time leading goal scorer in the Welsh Premier League, with an impressive tally of 319 goals. Williams’s success doesn’t stop there; he is also the highest goal scorer in a single season across all European competitions, with 47 goals in the 2001/02 season.
However, despite this impressive record, Williams did not win the European Golden Shoe, partly due to the lower goal coefficient of the Welsh Premier League compared to some larger European leagues. This illustrates the challenge that players in smaller leagues face when competing with stars in bigger leagues, even though their individual achievements may be immensely impressive.
Conclusion
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. With an illustrious career spanning several top clubs and national teams, Ronaldo has left an indelible mark on the sport. His remarkable goal-scoring ability, combined with exceptional athleticism and technical skill, has earned him numerous accolades and records throughout his career. From his early days at Sporting Lisbon to his stints at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and beyond, Ronaldo has consistently showcased his talent and determination on the field. Whether it’s his powerful headers, precise free kicks, or clinical finishing, Ronaldo’s impact on the game is undeniable, making him a true legend of football.
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