What is a hat-trick in football? It is three goals by one player in one match. The goals can arrive in either half, and they need not follow each other.
That simple test hides a rich history. Cricket gave football the phrase in the 19th century. Since then, trebles have decided finals, ended droughts, and made unknown strikers famous overnight.
This guide sets out the rules in plain words. It covers perfect hat-tricks, fast records, and famous World Cup trebles. It also clears up shootouts, own goals, and penalty goals.
What Matters Most
- Three goals, one player, one match.
- Extra time counts, penalty shootouts do not.
- A perfect treble mixes both feet and a header.
- The scorer often keeps the match ball.
- World Cup finals have seen only two trebles.
What Is a Hat-Trick in Football?
A hat-trick in football means one player scores three goals in a single match. The player can score in the first half, the second half, or both. Another player may score between those goals, and the treble still stands.
Two goals by one player is called a brace. A brace puts a scorer on a hat-trick, in fan talk. One more goal then completes the treble, and the crowd knows it at once.
The feat works in league games, cup ties, and internationals alike. It also works at youth level and in Sunday league games. The level changes the stage, not the basic test.
Why Is It Called a Hat-Trick?
The phrase began in cricket, not in football. In 1858, English cricketer HH Stephenson took three wickets with three straight balls. A hat was passed round as his reward, and the name stuck.
Football writers borrowed the phrase in Britain. They needed a short name for three goals in one game. The cricket link stayed, even though football drops the consecutive rule.
Other languages kept their own words for the feat. Italians call it a tripletta, and French fans say tour de chapeau. English fans still use hat-trick almost everywhere else.
What Counts, and What Does Not?
The counting rules are simple, but fans still argue over edge cases. Extra time goals count toward a treble in cup ties. Penalty shootout goals do not count, because the shootout sits outside the match.
- A penalty scored during play counts toward the treble.
- An own goal never counts toward another player’s treble.
- Goals in extra time count in cup ties.
- Goals in a shootout never count toward a treble.
- A deflected shot counts when the goal is credited to that player.
Fans who ask what is a hat-trick in football often argue over shootouts. Officials draw a firm line at full time, plus extra time. That line keeps the record books clean and fair.
Match officials credit each goal to a player. That credit decides the treble, not fan debate. A scorer change after a review can change the treble too.
What Is a Perfect Hat-Trick?
A perfect hat-trick needs three different types of finish. The player scores once with the right foot. The player scores once with the left foot, and once with the head.
Fans rate it above a normal treble for one reason. It shows a scorer who can finish in several ways. A poacher who only taps in goals cannot fake it.
Germany adds a stricter local version of the feat. A flawless hat-trick there means three straight goals in one half. No other scorer may break the run, and half time must not break it.
The Fastest Hat-Tricks on Record
Speed records depend on which games count. Sunday league claims sit apart from professional records. The table below keeps those levels separate.
| Player | Match | Year | Time claimed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Ross | Ross County v Nairn County | 1964 | 90 seconds |
| Sadio Mané | Southampton v Aston Villa | 2015 | 2 minutes 56 seconds |
| László Kiss | Hungary v El Salvador, World Cup | 1982 | About 7 minutes |
| Alex Torr | Sunday league game | 2013 | 70 seconds, non-professional claim |
Mané’s record still amazes fans who watch the clip. He scored three times inside three minutes. Southampton won that game 6-1, and Mané ended the game with four goals.
Ross holds the famous professional claim from 1964. Kiss holds the fastest World Cup treble on record. Torr’s quicker Sunday league claim shows why levels matter.
Famous Hat-Tricks That Shaped Football
Geoff Hurst scored three in the 1966 World Cup final. England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley. His debated third goal hit the crossbar and bounced near the line.
Kylian Mbappé matched Hurst in the 2022 final. He scored three for France against Argentina, yet France still lost on penalties. His treble is the only World Cup final treble on a losing side.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored three against Spain in 2018. His late free kick sealed a 3-3 draw in Sochi. Michael Owen scored three in England’s 5-1 win in Munich in 2001.
Hat-Tricks Beyond Football
Football does not own the phrase alone. Rugby counts three tries by one player as a hat-trick. Cricket still uses it for three wickets with three straight balls.
Other sports use three as the magic number too. A feat that happens three times in one game earns the tag. Football simply made the phrase famous around the world.
The shared test stays the same in each sport. One player must repeat a feat three times in one game. Three goals, three tries, or three wickets all clear that bar.
Why Three Goals Still Matter
Modern defences make three goals harder than ever. Coaches plan whole sessions around stopping one star scorer. A treble still breaks those plans in one afternoon.
The third goal carries its own pressure. Defenders close down harder once a scorer holds two goals. Teammates also start hunting for that scorer, and chances can dry up.
The match ball tradition keeps the feat tangible. A scorer often takes the ball home after a treble. Teammates may sign it first, and some players keep a whole collection.
Watch for the Third Goal Next Time
Next time a scorer holds two goals, watch the game change. Defenders tighten up, fans rise early, and every touch feels bigger. So what is a hat-trick in football at its core? It is three goals, one player, and one match.
Check the rules before you argue about a treble. Ask if the goals came in one match, not across two. Ask if a shootout goal sneaked into the count.
Then enjoy the moment for what it is. Three goals, one player, and one match to remember. Tell us in the comments which treble you still talk about most.
Browse our Sports archive for more sporting stories. Our fame levels guide shows how treble heroes turn into stars. Our one-hit wonder guide covers fame from a single moment.
Wikipedia’s hat-trick in association football entry sets out the rules and records in full. It also lists the rival speed claims and the perfect treble test. Readers who want the source detail can start there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hat-trick in football?
It is three goals by one player in one match. The goals need not follow each other, and another player may score between them. League games, cup ties, and internationals all count, as do youth and Sunday league games.
Do penalty shootout goals count toward a hat-trick?
No, shootout goals never count toward a hat-trick. Officials count goals from play and extra time only. A scorer who nets twice in play, then once in a shootout, still holds a brace.
What is a perfect hat-trick?
It is a treble scored with the right foot, the left foot, and the head. The order of those three goals does not matter. Fans rate it higher, since it proves a scorer can finish in several ways.
Who scored the fastest hat-trick in the Premier League?
Sadio Mané holds the Premier League record at 2 minutes 56 seconds. He scored three times for Southampton against Aston Villa in 2015. Southampton won that game 6-1, and Mané ended it with four goals.
Who has scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final?
Only two men have done it in a men’s World Cup final. Geoff Hurst scored three for England against West Germany in 1966. Kylian Mbappé scored three for France against Argentina in 2022, yet France lost on penalties.
What is a brace in football?
A brace is two goals by one player in one match. It puts the scorer one goal away from a hat-trick. Fans often say a player on a brace is “on a hat-trick”.