One hat-trick in a game of football is noteworthy. Two is quite unusual. Especially these days.
While matches in yesteryear frequently featured much bigger scores, today’s games are usually decided by fewer goals.
That is perhaps because tactics and defences have improved over the years, meaning teams often cancel each other out.
But not always. Here, a look at some notable matches from the history of the men’s game in which two players have hit hat-tricks…
Bologna 1-7 Napoli (2017)
Napoli hit Bologna for seven goals away from home in Serie A in February 2017.
With the match reduced to a 10-a-side affair after Napoli’s José Callejón and Bologna’s Adam Masina were sent off in the first half, the visitors stormed to an emphatic win with Marek Hamšík and Dries Mertens both bagging hat-tricks at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
Southampton 0-9 Leicester City (2019)
Leicester City hammered Southampton 9-0 in an unbelievable game at St Mary’s in the Premier League in October 2019.
Ayoze Pérez and Jamie Vardy both hit hat-tricks for the Foxes, with Ben Chilwell, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison also on target. The Saints had been down to 10 men from the 12th minute after Ryan Bertrand was sent off.
Barcelona 5-4 Atlético Madrid (1997)
Barcelona came from 3-1 and 4-2 down to beat Atlético Madrid 5-4 in a thrilling Copa del Rey clash at Camp Nou in March 1997.
Milinko Pantić scored all four goals for Atlético but still ended up on the losing side as Ronaldo hit a hat-trick for Barça, with Luís Figo and Pizzi also on target in an incredible comeback win for the Blaugrana.
England 8-3 Northern Ireland (1963)
England thrashed Northern Ireland 8-3 at Wembley in the British Home Championship in November 1963.
Jimmy Greaves scored half of England’s goals on the night, with former Southampton forward Terry Paine also hitting a hat-trick. Bobby Smith got the other one for Alf Ramsey’s side.
Palermo 0-7 Udinese (2011)
Antonio Di Natale and Alexis Sánchez formed a formidable attacking threat together at Udinese and on an afternoon in November 2011, the pair put on a show in a huge win away to Palermo.
Sánchez scored a first-half hat-trick, before adding another in the second period, with Di Natale also completing his treble with a penalty just after the hour mark in the Sicilian capital.
Real Madrid 8-0 Malmö (2015)
Real Madrid’s 8-0 win over Swedish side Malmö in December 2015 was the first Champions League match to feature hat-tricks from two different players.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals for Los Blancos, with Karim Benzema on target three times at the Santiago Bernabéu. Mateo Kovačić netted Madrid’s other goal on the night.
Sweden 8-0 Cuba (1938)
Cuba overcame Romania in a replay to make it to the quarter-finals of the 1938 World Cup, but were brutally beaten by Sweden in the last eight.
Gustav Wetterström and Harry Andersson scored a hat-trick each as Sweden ran out 8-0 winners in Antibes, before losing 5-1 to Hungary in the semi-finals.
Brazil 6-0 Australia (1997)
Ronaldo and Romário never got to play together at a World Cup, but the Ro-Ro partnership was devastating for a time.
The pair scored 31 goals together in 16 matches – including a hat-trick apiece as Brazil thrashed Australia 6-0 in the 1997 Confederations Cup final.
Real Madrid 10-2 Rayo Vallecano (2015)
Real Madrid came from behind to trounce Rayo Vallecano 10-2 in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabéu in December 2015.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about that match is that Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t score a hat-trick, but Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema both did get trebles, with the Welsh winger helping himself to four in a huge win for Los Blancos.
Brazil 6-5 Poland (1938)
Brazil and Poland played out a classic at the 1938 World Cup, with 11 goals in total and two players hitting hat-tricks.
Ernst Wilimowski scored four for Poland but still ended up on the losing side as Leônidas netted three times and Brazil ran out 6-5 winners in extra time in the last-16 clash in Strasbourg.
Inter 7-1 Atalanta (2017)
Inter thrashed Atalanta 7-1 in a Serie A game in March 2017 and two players from Argentina stole the headlines.
Striker Mauro Icardi and midfielder Ever Banega hit a hat-trick apiece for the Nerazzurri in Milan. Roberto Gagliardini scored the other one for Inter.
Real Madrid 6-6 Barcelona (1916)
Real Madrid and Barcelona met four times in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in 1916 in a series of matches which yielded 26 goals.
There was no goal difference back then, so a third contest was needed after a 2-1 win for Barcelona and a 4-1 victory for Madrid. Controversially played in the capital and officiated by a former Madrid player, it finished 6-6 after extra time. Three players scored hat-tricks: Luis Belaunde and Santiago Bernabéu for Madrid; Paulino Alcántara for Barcelona. Madrid went on to win the tie with a 4-2 victory after extra time in the fourth fixture, but lost the final to Athletic Club.
Arsenal 6-1 Southampton (2003)
Arsenal beat Southampton 1-0 in the FA Cup final on May 17, 2003, with Robert Pires the scorer at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Pires scored a hat-trick when the two teams met at Highbury 10 days earlier, with Jermaine Pennant also helping himself to three goals in an emphatic 6-1 win for the Gunners.
Manchester City 6-3 Manchester United (2022)
Manchester City have had the better of most derby duels against rivals Manchester United in recent years and the Sky Blues hit the Red Devils for six in October 2022.
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored three goals apiece for Pep Guardiola’s side in a 6-3 win at the Etihad and got to take home a match ball each.
Barcelona 7-0 Valencia (2016)
Barcelona thrashed Valencia 7-0 in the Copa del Rey at Camp Nou in February 2016 and two players were responsible for all of the goals.
Lionel Messi scored four for Barça and Luis Suárez netted the other three in a huge win for the Blaugrana and a defeat which marked the beginning of the end for Gary Neville as Valencia coach.
Lyon 5-4 Montpellier (2023)
Lyon and Montpellier played out an incredible nine-goal thriller in Ligue 1 in May 2023, with two players scoring four apiece.
Montpellier’s Elye Wahi hit four for the visitors, but still ended up on the losing side in a 5-4 defeat as Alexandre Lacazette struck four as well, including a penalty in the 100th minute to seal a dramatic late victory. Dejan Lovren scored Lyon’s other goal.
Real Madrid 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt (1960)
Real Madrid produced an exhibition of attacking football to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in the 1960 European Cup final and win the trophy for a fifth successive season.
Ferenc Puskás scored four of Madrid’s goals at Hampden Park and Alfredo Di Stéfano hit the other three in a one-sided contest in Glasgow.
