A hat-trick in soccer is when a single player scores three goals in one match. The three goals do not need to come one after another, and they do not have to be scored in the same way, which is what separates a plain hat-trick from its more celebrated variations.
What counts as a hat-trick
The definition is simple: one player, three goals, one game. Those goals can arrive in any order and be spread across the whole match, from the opening minutes to stoppage time. They can come from open play, headers, free kicks, or penalties. As long as the same player is credited with all three, it is a hat-trick. If another player deflects a shot in, the goal is usually awarded to the last attacker to touch it, and only goals credited to the player count toward the tally. There is no requirement about the scoreline either: a hat-trick counts whether the player’s team wins, draws, or even loses the match, since it is a personal scoring feat rather than a team result.
The perfect hat-trick
A step above the standard version is the “perfect hat-trick,” in which a player scores one goal with the right foot, one with the left foot, and one with a header, in any order. It is rarer and more admired because it demonstrates complete, two-footed finishing plus aerial ability. Fans and commentators single it out precisely because it is hard to do: most players clearly favor one foot, so scoring with both and with the head in a single match stands out.
Where the term comes from
The phrase did not begin in soccer at all. It comes from cricket, where a bowler who dismissed three batters with three consecutive deliveries was, by tradition, rewarded with a new hat to mark the achievement. The expression “hat-trick” spread from there into other sports as shorthand for three of something by one performer, and soccer adopted it for a player scoring three goals. Today the term is used across many sports, but the soccer meaning, three goals in a match, is one of the most widely known.
Do penalties and own goals count?
Goals count toward a hat-trick no matter how they are scored, so a penalty kick counts the same as a strike from open play. A player who scores three times in a match, even if one or more came from the penalty spot, has recorded a hat-trick. Own goals, however, do not count for the player who put the ball in his own net; they are recorded as own goals and are not credited as goals scored. So a hat-trick always means three goals genuinely scored by the same attacking player.
Types of hat-trick
Beyond the perfect hat-trick, fans use a few informal labels. A “flawless” or “perfect” hat-trick, as noted, mixes both feet and a header. Some describe three goals scored in a single half, or in quick succession, as especially impressive, and commentators occasionally note the fastest hat-tricks by elapsed time. These variations are not separate official categories; the record books simply count three goals in a match. What the labels capture is the manner of the achievement, which is why a hat-trick built from a left-foot finish, a right-foot strike, and a towering header draws extra praise.
Keeping the match ball
One of the sport’s nicest customs is that a player who scores a hat-trick gets to keep the match ball. Teammates often sign it, and it becomes a personal memento of the achievement. The tradition reinforces how notable a hat-trick is: even in a high-scoring era, scoring three times in one game is uncommon enough to be worth marking.
Related feats and bigger hauls
A hat-trick is not the ceiling. A player who scores four is sometimes said to have scored a “brace” plus two, though four goals is simply called four goals, and some fans informally call it a “haul.” The word “brace,” by contrast, specifically means two goals. Understanding a hat-trick fits alongside the rest of the game’s language and rules, from how a defender earns a clean sheet by conceding none, to how attackers beat the offside line to get their chances. And where those chances come from often depends on formation and roles, which we cover in our guide to soccer positions.
Frequently asked questions
How many goals is a hat-trick?
Three, all scored by the same player in one match.
Do the goals have to be scored in a row?
No. A hat-trick counts whether the three goals are consecutive or spread across the match.
What is a perfect hat-trick?
Three goals scored with the right foot, the left foot, and a header, in any order. It is prized because it shows all-round finishing.
Do penalty goals count toward a hat-trick?
Yes. Goals from penalty kicks count the same as any other goal toward a hat-trick.
Why is it called a hat-trick?
The term comes from cricket, where a bowler who took three wickets on consecutive deliveries was traditionally rewarded with a hat.
