Scoring a hat-trick in association football is considered an impressive achievement, even after many years and advances in the sport; however, it is still fairly common. This is a list of records and other feats in football hat-trick scoring, including exceptional numbers of hat-tricks; exceptional feats in scoring a hat-trick; and achievements relating to the hat-trick scorers themselves.
The great majority of the scorers of a hat-trick have played for the winning side, but there have also been occasions when the hat-trick scorer's team drew or lost the match. The list features all association footballers, at all levels of competition, when playing in official matches.
Records
KeyHat-trick scorer's team is noted in boldDivisionThe level of competition of the relevant match(es)
Most hat-tricks
Most hat-tricks in history Player Years Gender Details Erwin Helmchen 1924–1951 142+M According to RSSSF, Erwin Helmchen scored at least 142 hat-tricks only in official matches, including 8 goals on 2 occasions, 7 goals on three, 6 goals ten times and 5 goals 15 times. Josef Bican 1930–1957 137M According to RSSSF, Josef Bican scored 137 hat-tricks only in official matches for club and country. Ferenc Deák 1939–1959 97+M According to RSSSF, Ferenc Deak scored at least 97 hat-tricks only in official matches for club and country. Ernst Wilimowski 1932–1957 96+M According to RSSSF, Ernst Wilimowski scored at least 96 hat-tricks only in official matches for club and country. Pelé 1956–1977 92MAs of 2023, Guinness World Records recognised Pelé as the footballer with the most hat-tricks. Jimmy Jones 1943–1965 91M
Active players with most hat-tricks Player Years Gender Details Cristiano Ronaldo 2008–202466M Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the active player with most hat-tricks. Lionel Messi 2007–202662M Lionel Messi has scored 62 hat-tricks in his career for Barcelona, Inter Miami and Argentina.
Most hat-tricks for a national team Top 10 listed Player Years Gender Details Alex Morgan 2012–2021 12FMorgan scored her eleventh international hat-trick with five goals on 11 June 2019 in the United States' 13–0 victory over Thailand in the 2019 World Cup. She scored her record-breaking twelfth international hat-trick in 2021. Christine Sinclair 2000–2012 11FSinclair scored her eleventh international hat-trick by scoring all three of Canada's goals in their 3–4 loss to the United States at the Olympics on 6 August 2012. Lionel Messi 2012–2026 11M Lionel Messi became the first male player to score 11 international hat-tricks on 16 June 2026 in Argentina's 3–0 victory over Algeria. Vivian Woodward1903–191410MHe scored 4 hat-tricks for England and 6 hat-tricks for England amateurs. Cristiano Ronaldo 2013–202110M Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score 10 hat-tricks for a national team on 12 October 2021 in Portugal's 5–0 win against Luxembourg, breaking Sven Rydell's record. Sven Rydell 1924–19329M Sven Rydell became the first player to score 9 international hat-tricks on 16 May 1932 in Sweden's 7–1 victory over Finland, breaking Poul Nielsen's record. His men's record lasted for 89 years. Carli Lloyd 2012–2021 9FLloyd scored 9 international hat-tricks including a five-goal haul in one of her final international matches. Ali Mabkhout 2012–2021 9MAs of 2023, Mabkhout has scored 9 international hat-tricks. Poul Nielsen 1913–19218M Poul Nielsen became the first player to score 8 international hat-tricks on 2 October 1921 in Denmark's 3–1 victory over Norway. His record lasted for 11 years. Gerd Müller 1967–1972 8MMüller scored 8 international hat-tricks for West Germany, including 2 in the 1970 World Cup.
Most consecutive hat-tricks in history Player Year Gender Division Details Josef Bican 1940 5M1 Josef Bican set the record after scoring 5 consecutive hat-tricks and 19 goals in total in the Bohemia and Moravia (Czechoslovak) First League between 17 November 1939 and 19 March 1940. Stjepan Lucijanić 2016 5M7 Stjepan Lucijanic scored his fifth consecutive hat-trick in the NK Dračice Dakovo's 10–0 win over NK Zrinski Drenje in the Croatian seventh division on 6 November 2016, equalizing Josef Bican's record from 1940. Lucijanic had scored 20 goals in those 5 matches. Ahmed Rizwan 2018 5M1 Club Eagles' striker Ahmed Rizwan also equalized the record in October 2018, after scoring five hat-tricks in five consecutive matches of the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League.
Most hat-tricks for a year Player Year Gender Division Details Refik Resmja 1951 10M1 Refik Resmja scored 10 hat-tricks in 1951, all in Albanian Superliga. Arman Karamyan 2002 9M1 Arman Karamyan scored 8 hat-tricks in Armenian Premier League and 1 in national cup. Ara Hakobyan 2003 9M1 Ara Hakobyan scored 9 hat-tricks in Armenian Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo 2011 9M1 Cristiano Ronaldo scored 9 hat-tricks in La Liga. Lionel Messi 2012 9M1 Lionel Messi scored 6 hat-tricks in La Liga, 1 in UEFA Champions League and 2 with the national team. Ali Ashfaq 2013 9M1 Ali Ashfaq scored 5 hat-tricks in Dhivehi League, 2 in AFC Cup and 2 with the national team.
Most hat-tricks in the Olympics Player Year Score Gender Details Domingo Tarasconi 1928 Argentina 11–2 USA Argentina 6–3 Belgium Argentina 6–0 Egypt 3M Domingo Tarasconi scored 4 goals against USA on 29 May 1928 in the first round, 4 goals against Norway on 2 June in quarterfinals and 3 against Egypt in the semifinal of the 1928 Olympics. Barbra Banda 202020202024 Zambia 3–10 Netherlands Zambia 4–4 China Australia 6–5 Zambia 3F Barbra Banda scored hat-tricks twice at the 2020 Summer Olympics and she also scored once at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Vilhelm Wolfhagen 1908 Denmark 9–0 France B Denmark 17–1 France 2M Vilhelm Wolfhagen scored 4 goals against France B on 19 October 1908 in the first round and 4 goals against France on 22 October in the semi-finals of the 1908 Olympics. Antonin Janda 1920 Czechoslovakia 7–0 Kingdom of SCS Czechoslovakia 4–0 Norway 2M Antonin Janda scored 3 goals against Yugoslavia on 28 August 1920 in the first round and 3 goals against Norway on 29 August in the quarterfinals of the 1920 Olympics. Ferenc Bene 1964 Hungary 6–0 Morocco Hungary 6–0 United Arab Republic 2M Ferenc Bene scored Hungary's all 6 goals against Morocco on 11 October 1964 in the group stage and 4 goals against Norway on 20 October in the semifinals of the 1964 Olympics.
Age records Note: For a senior team; when referring to clubs, not including subsidiary teams in senior leagues
Youngest players to score a hat-trick for a club team
Player Year Age Score GenderDivision Details Ntinos Pontikas 1996 14 years and 198 days Ampelokipoi 4–3 Haravgi3M5 Ntinos Pontikas on his debut on 28 September 1996, scored his team's all 3 away goals in the fifth tier of the Greek championship breaking Paulino Alcántara's record set in 1912 and becoming the youngest hat-trick scorer ever. Alexander Rafn Pálmason 2025 15 years and 12 days KR Reykjavíkur 11–0 KÁ Ásvellir3M1/5 Alexander Rafn Pálmason scored a hat-trick for KR Reykjavíkur in their 11-0 win over fifth-division KÁ Ásvellir in the third round of the Icelandic Cup on 19 April 2025. Paulino Alcántara191215 years and 140 daysBarcelona 9–0 Català3MReg.Paulino Alcántara scored three goals on his senior team debut for Barcelona in their 9–0 victory over Català in the Catalan championship on 25 February 1912. Alcántara netted many other hat-tricks for Barcelona before turning 17, mostly in friendlies throughout the 1912–13 season, but notably in a 11–1 victory over Català in the Copa de España on 15 June 1913, at the age of 16 years and 248 days. Amy Wilding200315 years and 220 daysCTC Ladies – Camberley Town Ladies3F7Wilding scored three goals for Camberley Town Ladies in the Russell Cup on 30 March 2003 and became the youngest hat-trick scorer in women's football. Lily Parr192115 years and 261 daysDick, Kerr Ladies 12–0 Bath Ladies4FParr scored a hat-trick for Dick, Kerr Ladies on 15 January 1921 at Old Trafford. Ada Hegerberg201116 years and 25 daysKolbotn Fotball ?–? Røa IL3F1 Samuel Johnston 1883 16 years and 159 days Distillery 4–0 Wellington Park3M1 Johnston scored a hat-trick for Distillery in a 4–0 win over Wellington Park in the second round of the Irish Cup on 24 February 1883. Pelé 1957 16 years and 197 days Santos 7–2 Fabril de Lavras4M5/Fr. Pelé scored his first hat-trick of his senior career in a friendly against Fabril de Lavras on 9 June 1957 and became the youngest player in South America to achieve that feat as well as the youngest professional player to score a hat-trick. Trevor Francis 1971 16 years and 306 days Birmingham City 4–0 Bolton4M2 Francis scored all of Birmingham City's four goals in their 4–0 win over Bolton Wanderers in England's second tier on 20 February 1971, and became the youngest player in English football to achieve that feat. Nicolás Siri 2021 16 years and 348 days Danubio 5–1 Boston River3M1 Siri scored a hat-trick on his senior debut against Boston River in the Uruguayan first division on 19 March 2021 and became the youngest player in history to achieve that feat in the top flight.
Youngest players to score a hat-trick for a national team Player Year Age Score Gender Details Alina Litvinenko200913 years and 131 daysKyrgyzstan 4–1 Palestine3FOn 27 April 2009, Alina Litvinenko scored a hat-trick in her debut match, in a 4–1 win against Palestine for Kyrgyzstan in the 2010 Asian Cup's qualification at 13 years and 131 days. She became both the youngest hat-trick scorer and the youngest player to feature in an international match.Teen star Alina shines for Kyrgyz. AFC József Horváth 1907 16 years and 193 days Hungary 5–2 Bohemia 3M Horváth scored an international hat-trick for Hungary in a friendly against Bohemia on 7 April 1907 and became the youngest player in international football to achieve that feat. Haley Bugeja202016 years and 205 daysMalta 4–0 Georgia3FBugeja scored all of Malta's four goals in their 4–0 win over Georgia in the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying Group B, and became the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick at a European qualifier. Julie Fleeting199716 years and 259 daysScotland 7–1 Estonia4FFleeting scored four goals to help her side to a 7–1 victory over Estonia in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification on 3 September, and became the youngest player to score a hat-trick at a World qualifier. In the very next match four days later, Fleeting scored another hat-trick, this time in a 5–0 win over Lithuania. Christine Sinclair2000Canada 12–0 Guatemala3FSinclair had just turned 17 when she scored a hat-trick for Canada in the 2000 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. Claudia Martínez2025Paraguay 4–0 Bolivia3F Lee Wai Tong192317 years and 212 daysChina 5–1 Japan3MLee is the youngest male player to score a hat-trick for a national team in a competitive match, when he did so on 24 May 1923 in the last match of the 1923 Far Eastern Games at Yahataya Park in Osaka. Pelé195817 years and 244 daysBrazil 5–2 France3MPelé is the youngest male player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup when he did so in the 1958 semi-finals.
Oldest players to score a hat-trick for a national team