What Is a Hat Trick in Soccer? Three Goals and What Counts

What Is a Hat Trick in Soccer? A hat trick in soccer means one player scores three goals in the same match.

The sections below give the short definition first, then explain edge cases with practical examples. They distinguish ordinary match events from separate competitions or scoring procedures, so you can read a match report accurately.

Hat trick meaning in soccer

A hat trick is when one player scores three goals in a single match. The goals can arrive in any order, at any point of the game, and from different methods of scoring. The player’s team does not have to win.

For example, if a forward scores in minutes 12, 49 and 82, the player has a hat trick even if the final score is 3–3. Three separate goals credited to that individual are the key criterion.

Does a hat trick need three consecutive goals?

No. A teammate’s goal or an opposition goal between the player’s three goals does not break the hat trick. “Consecutive” or “unanswered” hat tricks may be mentioned as special descriptions, but they are not necessary for an ordinary hat trick.

A match scorecard listing Player A at 10′, Player B at 25′, Player A at 60′ and Player A at 87′ still shows a Player A hat trick. Reports should avoid implying a hat trick only counts if nobody else scores.

Do penalties count toward a hat trick?

Converted penalty kicks during the match count as goals credited to the penalty taker. A player could score from open play once and convert two penalties to complete a hat trick. A hat trick does not have to be three open-play finishes.

Penalty shootout kicks are different. A shootout decides the winner after a tied knockout match but its successful kicks do not increase the official match goals for the individual. A player with two match goals and one shootout conversion did not score a match hat trick.

Does extra time count toward three goals?

Yes. Extra-time goals are part of the match score. If a player has two by the end of the regular 90 minutes and scores a third in extra time, that is a hat trick. Added stoppage time is also part of ordinary match play, so a 90+4 goal counts.

A knockout match decided by penalties may have additional successful shootout kicks, but those remain separate from the match-goal tally.

What is a perfect hat trick?

A perfect hat trick commonly means scoring three goals with distinct finishes: one with the left foot, one with the right foot, and one with the head. It is a popular statistical and journalistic description, not a separate requirement for a regular hat trick.

The order of the three finishes does not matter. All three still need to be credited to the same player in the match. A left-foot, right-foot and another right-foot combination is an ordinary hat trick, not a perfect one.

Brace vs. hat trick vs. four goals

A brace is two goals in one match. A hat trick is three. A four-goal performance is often described as a “four-goal haul” or “four-goal game”; various regional nicknames may appear, but none changes the official scoring.

A striker who scores four passes the hat-trick milestone along the way, yet the final match report should make clear that the player finished with four, not merely three. Avoid presenting informal nicknames as official competition rules.

Does an own goal count?

No. If an official match record credits an own goal to an opponent, it does not increase the attacker’s goal count. Deflections can be judged differently depending on the scoring authority’s interpretation, which is why some initial graphics change after the match.

Check the competition’s official score sheet for confirmed individual scorers rather than copying the first live social-media claim. Only officially credited goals should form the basis of a hat-trick claim.

Who gets the match ball?

Traditionally, a player who scores a hat trick may be presented with a match ball as a memento. This is a custom and not part of the game’s Laws. Clubs and competitions can use their own presentation practices.

A hat trick remains a hat trick whether or not the player receives a signed ball, a trophy or any physical reward.

How to verify a claimed hat trick

Read the full match timeline or box score, identify who is credited with each goal, and check whether any was disallowed or classified as an own goal. If the match included extra time, include that period; keep shootout kicks apart.

The IFAB Laws of the Game distinguish match goals from the penalty procedure used to determine a winner. For current fixtures, prefer the official competition’s match center for goal attributions.

A detailed explainer should answer these common confusions directly rather than padding a page with unverified records or rankings.

Hat tricks vs. American football scoring

The three-goal hat trick belongs to association football, called soccer in the United States. NFL American football uses touchdowns and field goals instead; it does not use soccer’s goalscorer hat-trick statistic. For American football coverage, see AVARIXO’s Super Bowl LXI guide.

Frequently asked questions

How many goals is a hat trick?

Three goals credited to the same player in one match.

Can a hat trick include penalties?

Yes, match-play penalties count. Penalty shootout kicks are separate.

Does a hat trick count in a losing game?

Yes. Team result does not change an individual’s credited tally.

What is a perfect hat trick?

A left-foot goal, a right-foot goal and a header by one player in the same match.

Are three goals across three matches a hat trick?

No. An ordinary soccer hat trick requires all three in one match.

Editorial photograph: Rhk111 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Goal celebration photograph from a 2017 Philippine Football League match. This image illustrates soccer celebrations and does not claim a hat trick occurred. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FMFC_-_Sep._23,_2017,_Goal_Celebration.jpg This image is illustrative. A resized copy may be served by WordPress.