Hat-tricks are particular. A footballer who scores three targets in a recreation will get to maintain the match ball – and that participant normally goes residence glad.
However not all the time. Whereas having a participant who has hit three targets in a match is normally synomymous with profitable the sport, typically it’s only sufficient for a draw and infrequently, not even that.
Through the years, there have been a couple of well-known examples of footballers who’ve scored hat-tricks, however ended up being crushed.
From the World Cup to the Champions League and a participant who suffered the identical destiny twice within the Premier League, here’s a take a look at a few of the stars who scored three in a match, solely to complete on the dropping aspect…
16. Álvaro Morata
Alvaro Morata celebrates his third purpose for Atletico Madrid towards Girona in La Liga in January 2024. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Álvaro Morata scored all three Atlético Madrid targets on the Rojiblancos’ go to to Girona in January 2024 – however the Spain striker’s hat-trick finally counted for nothing.
Morata levelled at 1-1 and later hauled Diego Simeone’s aspect again into the sport with two second-half strikes to make it 3-3 after Atleti had gone in two down on the break. However Iván Martín netted in added time to undo all this tough work and seal a 4-3 win for Girona at Montilivi.
15. İrfan Kahveci
İrfan Kahveci celebrates after scoring for Istanbul Başakşehir towards RB Leipzig within the Champions League in December 2020. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
İstanbul Başakşehir gained the Turkish Süper Lig in 2019/20, however little went proper for the champions the next season.
The Gray Owls completed twelfth in a disastrous defence of their title and misplaced 5 of their six Champions League group video games. A İrfan Kahveci hat-trick of their penultimate fixture seemed to have sealed a 3-3 draw at residence to RB Leipzig, however Alexander Sørloth struck in added time at hand the German aspect a 4-3 win in Istanbul.
14. Mauro Icardi
A dejected Mauro Icardi leaves the pitch with the match ball following his hat-trick in a 5-4 defeat for Inter away to Fiorentina in April 2017. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Inter completed seventh in Serie A in 2016/17 and a run of six defeats in seven matches in the direction of the tip of the season finally ended the Milan aspect’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.
A kind of was a 5-4 loss at Fiorentina in April. Inter had led 2-1 at half-time by way of Ivan Perišić and Mauro Icardi, however later discovered themselves 5-2 down. Icardi decreased the deficit with two late efforts to finish his hat-trick, however it wasn’t sufficient to keep away from a dangerous defeat for the Nerazzurri.
13. Dwight Yorke
Dwight Yorke celebrates a purpose for Aston Villa towards Tottenham in January 1996. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Dwight Yorke’s solely Premier League hat-trick for Aston Villa was not sufficient to safe any factors as Brian Little’s aspect went down 4-3 away to Newcastle United.
Yorke gave the guests an early lead at St. James’ Park, however Les Ferdinand levelled a minute later and Newcastle have been 3-1 up on the break. Villa additionally had Mark Draper despatched off late within the first half and have been unable to get again into the sport regardless of two extra second-half strikes from Yorke as Steve Howey added a fourth purpose for Newcastle.
12. Josef Hügi
Josef Hügi scores for Switzerland towards Austria on the 1954 World Cup. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Switzerland went 3-0 up towards Austria within the quarter-finals of the 1954 World Cup, however the event hosts discovered themselves 5-3 down at half-time and finally misplaced 5-3 in Lausanne.
Jose Hügi scored the Swiss’ second and third targets inside 20 minutes in a robust begin for the locals. However when he accomplished his hat-trick after an hour, Switzerland nonetheless trailed 6-5 and conceded one other with slightly below quarter-hour left to play. Austria’s Theodor Wagner additionally scored a hat-trick.
11. Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho (proper) celebrates after scoring for Barcelona towards Levante in La Liga in Might 2018. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Philippe Coutinho’s transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona didn’t work out and even what was in all probability the Brazilian’s finest recreation for the Catalan membership may have been a bitter reminiscence for the followers.
Barça have been on track for an unbeaten season in La Liga, however have been crushed 5-4 by Levante of their penultimate fixture, with Coutinho’s hat-trick finally counting for little as a possibility to make historical past was missed. And considerably needlessly, too, with Lionel Messi rested forward of an ill-timed pleasant towards South African aspect Mamelodi Sundowns three days later.
10. Christopher Nkunku
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick for RB Leipzig towards Manchester Metropolis within the Champions League group phases in September 2021.
However Metropolis, crushed within the closing the earlier season, opened their Champions League marketing campaign with a bang by scoring twice as many because the French ahead in a 6-3 win on the Etihad.
9. Igor Belanov
Igor Belanov in motion for Dynamo Kyiv towards Atletico Madrid within the 1986 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup closing. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Igor Belanov had a memorable 12 months in 1986, serving to Dynamo Kyiv to a Soviet League title and a European Cup Winners’ Cup crown and later claiming the Ballon d’Or.
Belanov additionally impressed for the Soviet Union on the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, however his hat-trick towards Belgium within the spherical of 16 couldn’t forestall a 4-3 extra-time defeat after a 2-2 attract 90 minutes.
8. Matthew Le Tissier
Matthew Le Tissier salutes the Southampton followers forward of a recreation towards QPR in 1995. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Matthew Le Tissier scored over 200 targets for Southampton in a protracted profession with the Saints and people included 4 Premier League hat-tricks.
As of 2024, Le Tissier is one in all simply 4 gamers to attain a hat-trick within the competitors and find yourself on the dropping aspect and the one one to lose two video games after netting a treble – a 4-3 loss at Olham in Might 1993 and a 4-3 defeat at residence to Nottingham Forest in August 1995.
7. Milinko Pantić
Milinko Pantic in motion for Atletico Madrid towards Lazio within the UEFA Cup in March 1998. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Milinko Pantić scored a first-half hat-trick to place Atlético Madrid 3-0 up towards Barcelona and 5-2 forward on mixture within the groups’ Copa del Rey quarter-final second leg on the Vicente Calderón.
And after Ronaldo decreased the deficit with two targets early within the second half, Pantić scored a fourth. However the Serbian midfielder in some way ended up on the dropping aspect as Luís Figo, Ronaldo once more and Pizzi all struck to finish an unbelievable comeback for Barça because the Blaugrana gained 5-4 on the night time and 7-6 on mixture.
6. Elye Wahi
Elye Wahi celebrates after scoring for Montpellier towards Lyon in a Ligue 1 conflict in Might 2023. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Elye Wahi scored 4 targets for Montpellier in a Ligue 1 conflict away to Lyon in Might 2023, however the French ahead nonetheless ended up on the dropping aspect.
After Alexandre Lacazette had given Lyon the lead, Wahi hit 4 targets with out replay to present Montpellier a commanding 4-1 benefit on the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. However the residence aspect got here storming again within the closing half an hour as Lacazette additionally scored 4 – together with a winner from the penalty spot within the tenth minute of added time – to seal a dramatic late win for OL.
5. Ernst Wilimowski
Poland tackle Brazil on the 1938 World Cup. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Think about scoring 4 targets towards Brazil at a World Cup and nonetheless dropping the match. That’s what occurred to Poland’s 21-year-old ahead Ernst Wilimowski in a spherical of 16 conflict in Paris in 1938.
Wilimowski hit a hat-trick as Poland got here from 3-1 all the way down to power a 4-4 draw and the striker added one other in further time. However Brazil’s Leônidas additionally hit a hat-trick and the South Individuals finally prevailed 6-5 in an exhilarating tie.
4. Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale scores his first of three targets for Tottenham towards Inter within the Champions League group phases in October 2010. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Taking part in within the Champions League for the primary time, Tottenham have been 4-0 all the way down to defending champions Inter at half-time in a gaggle stage conflict in Milan and on track for a humiliating defeat.
However Gareth Bale had different concepts. The Welsh winger tormented the Italian giants with three very good strikes chopping inside from the left to earn a way more creditable 4-3 defeat for Spurs. It was the efficiency which introduced his arrival as a world-class expertise and Tottenham gained confidence from their comeback, happening to beat Inter at White Hart Lane and progress to the quarter-finals of the competitors.
3. Ronaldo
Ronaldo is congratulated by his Actual Madrid team-mates after scoring a hat-trick towards Manchester United at Previous Trafford in April 2003 as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer holds his head. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Ronaldo’s sensible hat-trick for Actual Madrid towards Manchester United within the Champions League in April 2003 was not sufficient to win the sport for Los Blancos – however it did ship the Spanish aspect by way of to the semi-finals.
Madrid gained the tie 6-5 on mixture following a 4-3 defeat within the second leg in Manchester, however went on to lose to Juventus within the final 4 and Ronaldo by no means did get his palms on European soccer’s most prestigious prize. He did earn an ovation from the house followers, although, after an excellent particular person show.
2. Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskas scores for Actual Madrid towards Benfica within the 1962 European Cup closing. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Ferenc Puskás gained three European Cups as a Actual Madrid participant and famously hit 4 targets as Los Blancos thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt in Glasgow within the 1960 closing.
Two years later, Puskás hit one other European Cup closing hat-trick as Madrid led Benfica 2-0 and later 3-2, however a Mário Coluna effort and two targets from Eusébio within the second half noticed the Portuguese aspect seal a 5-3 win in Amsterdam. Greater than 60 years on, Puskás stays the one participant to have hit two hat-tricks in main European finals.
1. Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring France’s second purpose within the 2022 World Cup closing towards Argentina. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
France didn’t lose to Argentina over 90 or 120 minutes within the 2022 World Cup closing, however Les Bleus have been crushed on penalties in Qatar.
Kylian Mbappé turned solely the second participant ever to attain a hat-trick in a World Cup closing, after England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966, however the former Paris Saint-Germain ended up with a runners-up medal this time round.