The FIFA World Cup has witnessed some of the greatest individual performances in football history. Among the rarest and most unforgettable achievements are FIFA World Cup hat-tricks — magical displays where players dominate the biggest stage in world football, rising above elite defences and crushing tournament pressure to score three goals in a single match.
From Pelé’s electric brilliance against France in 1958 to Kylian Mbappé’s stunning final-evening treble against Argentina in 2022, World Cup hat-trick scorers have created legendary moments that remain forever etched in football World Cup records.
With over 90 years of World Cup history spanning 22 tournaments, only a tiny fraction of players have ever achieved this feat, making it one of the most coveted individual records in all of football.
This complete guide covers every hat-trick in FIFA World Cup history, along with records, records within records, and the extraordinary stories behind each iconic performance.
| Total World Cup Hat-Tricks | 54 |
| First Hat-Trick | Bert Patenaude (1930) |
| Most Hat-Tricks | Batistuta, Kocsis, Fontaine, Müller (2) |
| Fastest Hat-Trick | László Kiss (7 minutes) |
| Final Hat-Tricks | Geoff Hurst, Kylian Mbappé |
Complete FIFA World Cup Hat-Tricks List
Below is the definitive record of all World Cup hat-tricks across every FIFA tournament from 1930 to 2022.
This list encompasses every player who scored three or more goals in a single World Cup match, along with FIFA World Cup statistics for context.
| # | Year | Player | Country | Opponent | Goals | Result | Stage |
| 1 | 1930 | Bert Patenaude | USA | Paraguay | 3 | 3–0 W | Group stage |
| 2 | 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | Argentina | Mexico | 3 | 6–3 W | Group stage |
| 3 | 1930 | Pedro Cea | Uruguay | Yugoslavia | 3 | 6–1 W | Semi-Final |
| 4 | 1934 | Angelo Schiavio | Italy | United States | 3 | 7–1 W | Round of 16 |
| 5 | 1934 | Edmund Conen | Germany | Belgium | 3 | 5–2 W | Round of 16 |
| 6 | 1934 | Oldřich Nejedlý | Czechoslovakia | Germany | 3 | 3–1 W | Semi-Final |
| 7 | 1938 | Leônidas | Brazil | Poland | 3 | 6–5 W | Round of 16 |
| 8 | 1938 | Ernst Willimowski | Poland | Brazil | 4 | 5–6 L | Round of 16 |
| 9 | 1938 | Gustav Wetterström | Sweden | Cuba | 3 | 8–0 W | Quarter-finals |
| 10 | 1938 | Harry Andersson | Sweden | Cuba | 3 | 8–0 W | Quarter-finals |
| 11 | 1950 | Óscar Míguez | Uruguay | Bolivia | 3 | 8–0 W | Group stage |
| 12 | 1950 | Ademir | Brazil | Sweden | 4 | 7–1 W | Group stage |
| 13 | 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | South Korea | 3 | 9–0 W | Group stage |
| 14 | 1954 | Erich Probst | Austria | Czechoslovakia | 3 | 5–0 W | Group stage |
| 15 | 1954 | Carlos Borges | Uruguay | Scotland | 3 | 7–0 W | Group stage |
| 16 | 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | West Germany | 4 | 8–3 W | Group stage |
| 17 | 1954 | Burhan Sargın | Turkey | South Korea | 3 | 7–0 W | Group stage |
| 18 | 1954 | Max Morlock | West Germany | Turkey | 3 | 7–2 W | Group stage |
| 19 | 1954 | Theodor Wagner | Austria | Switzerland | 3 | 7–5 W | Quarter-Final |
| 20 | 1954 | Josef Hügi | Switzerland | Austria | 3 | 5–7 L | Quarter-Final |
| 21 | 1958 | Just Fontaine | France | Paraguay | 3 | 7–3 W | Group stage |
| 22 | 1958 | Pelé | Brazil | France | 3 | 5–2 W | Semi-Final |
| 23 | 1958 | Just Fontaine | France | West Germany | 3 | 6–3 W | 3rd Place |
| 24 | 1962 | Flórián Albert | Hungary | Bulgaria | 3 | 6–1 W | Group stage |
| 25 | 1966 | Eusébio | Portugal | North Korea | 4 | 5–3 W | Quarter-Final |
| 26 | 1966 | Geoff Hurst | England | West Germany | 3 | 4–2 W aet | Final |
| 27 | 1970 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | Bulgaria | 3 | 5–2 W | Group stage |
| 28 | 1970 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | Peru | 3 | 3–1 W | Group stage |
| 29 | 1974 | Dušan Bajević | Yugoslavia | Zaire | 3 | 9–0 W | Group stage |
| 30 | 1974 | Andrzej Szarmach | Poland | Haiti | 3 | 7–0 W | Group stage |
| 31 | 1978 | Rob Rensenbrink | Netherlands | Iran | 3 | 3–0 W | Group stage |
| 32 | 1978 | Teófilo Cubillas | Peru | Iran | 3 | 4–1 W | Group stage |
| 33 | 1982 | László Kiss | Hungary | El Salvador | 3 | 10–1 W | Group stage |
| 34 | 1982 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | West Germany | Chile | 3 | 4–1 W | Group stage |
| 35 | 1982 | Zbigniew Boniek | Poland | Belgium | 3 | 3–0 W | Group stage |
| 36 | 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy | Brazil | 3 | 3–2 W | Group stage |
| 37 | 1986 | Preben Elkjær | Denmark | Uruguay | 3 | 6–1 W | Group stage |
| 38 | 1986 | Gary Lineker | England | Poland | 3 | 3–0 W | Group stage |
| 39 | 1986 | Igor Belanov | Soviet Union | Belgium | 3 | 3–4 L aet | Round of 16 |
| 40 | 1986 | Emilio Butragueño | Spain | Denmark | 4 | 5–1 W | Round of 16 |
| 41 | 1990 | Míchel | Spain | South Korea | 3 | 3–1 W | Group stage |
| 42 | 1990 | Tomáš Skuhravý | Czechoslovakia | Costa Rica | 3 | 4–1 W | Round of 16 |
| 43 | 1994 | Oleg Salenko | Russia | Cameroon | 5 | 6–1 W | Group stage |
| 44 | 1994 | Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | Greece | 3 | 4–0 W | Group |
| 45 | 1998 | Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | Jamaica | 3 | 5–0 W | Group |
| 46 | 2002 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 8–0 W | Group stage |
| 47 | 2002 | Pauleta | Portugal | Poland | 3 | 4–0 W | Group stage |
| 48 | 2010 | Gonzalo Higuaín | Argentina | South Korea | 3 | 4–1 W | Group stage |
| 49 | 2014 | Xherdan Shaqiri | Switzerland | Honduras | 3 | 3–0 W | Group stage |
| 50 | 2014 | Thomas Müller | Germany | Portugal | 3 | 4–0 W | Group stage |
| 51 | 2018 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Spain | 3 | 3–3 D | Group stage |
| 52 | 2018 | Harry Kane | England | Panama | 3 | 6–1 W | Group stage |
| 53 | 2022 | Gonçalo Ramos | Portugal | Switzerland | 3 | 6–1 W | Round of 16 |
| 54 | 2022 | Kylian Mbappé | France | Argentina | 3 | 3–3 (aet) L pen FINAL | Final |
Interesting FIFA World Cup Hat-Trick Records
Beyond the main hat-trick list, numerous fascinating sub-records and curiosities capture the breadth of FIFA World Cup records and football history records.
The “Zero Hat-Trick” Edition: Germany 2006
The 2006 FIFA World Cup remains a unique statistical anomaly as the only tournament in history where no player recorded a hat-trick.
Across all 64 matches played in Germany, the scoring was remarkably distributed, with defensive discipline often taking center stage.
First World Cup hat-trick
The first-ever hat-trick in FIFA World Cup history was scored by Bert Patenaude of the United States on July 17, 1930.
His achievement, recorded during a 3–0 group-stage victory against Paraguay in Uruguay, was the subject of a 76-year historical debate.
For decades, FIFA officially credited Argentina’s Guillermo Stábile with the first hat-trick, which he scored against Mexico on July 19, 1930—two days after Patenaude’s match.
The uncertainty centered on the U.S. team’s second goal against Paraguay. Some records originally credited it to teammate Tom Florie or listed it as an own goal by a Paraguayan defender.
Following extensive research by historians and evidence from teammates, FIFA officially reassigned the disputed goal to Patenaude and recognized him as the first hat-trick scorer on November 10, 2006.
Youngest Hat-Trick Scorers
Pelé’s hat-trick in the 1958 semi-final against France was the first signal to the world that a teenage genius had arrived.
At 17, he outscored, outpaced, and outclassed one of Europe’s finest teams on the biggest stage.
It remains one of the most celebrated FIFA World Cup milestones in the tournament’s history.
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Oldest Hat-Trick Scorers
Cristiano Ronaldo, over three decades later, showed that World Cup records belong to the extraordinary regardless of age.
Facing Spain — then reigning European champions — he scored three goals including a last-gasp free-kick to earn Portugal a dramatic draw.
The hat-trick remains among the greatest individual displays in modern World Cup history.
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Players With the Most FIFA World Cup Hat-Tricks
Only a handful of players have ever scored multiple hat-tricks across World Cup tournaments, placing them in an elite tier of all-time World Cup scoring records. These legends define what it means to dominate the FIFA World Cup stage.
| Player | Team | Hat-Tricks (Total) | Details (Opponent & Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | 2 | vs Greece (1994), vs Jamaica (1998) |
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 2 | vs South Korea (1954), vs West Germany (1954) |
| Just Fontaine | France | 2 | vs Paraguay (1958), vs West Germany (1958) |
| Gerd Müller | West Germany | 2 | vs Bulgaria (1970), vs Peru (1970) |
Most Hat-Tricks in a Single Tournament: 1954 Switzerland
The 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland stands as the most prolific tournament for individual scoring feats, witnessing a record eight hat-tricks.
This era of football was characterized by high-scoring matches, with teams averaging a remarkable 5.4 goals per game, the highest average in World Cup history.
The tournament’s quarter-final between Austria and Switzerland alone featured two hat-tricks—scored by Theodor Wagner and Josef Hügi—in a match that ended 7–5, the highest-scoring game in the competition’s history.
| Player | Team | Opponent | Stage | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | South Korea | Group Stage | 3 |
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | West Germany | Group Stage | 4 |
| Erich Probst | Austria | Czechoslovakia | Group Stage | 3 |
| Carlos Borges | Uruguay | Scotland | Group Stage | 3 |
| Burhan Sargın | Turkey | South Korea | Group Stage | 3 |
| Max Morlock | West Germany | Turkey | Group Stage | 3 |
| Theodor Wagner | Austria | Switzerland | Quarter-final | 3 |
| Josef Hügi | Switzerland | Austria | Quarter-final | 3 |
Consecutive tournament hat-tricks
Argentine legend Gabriel Batistuta (often known as “Batigol”) is the only player in the history of the men’s FIFA World Cup to score a hat-trick in two different editions.
His achievement is marked by several notable coincidences: both hat-tricks occurred on June 21 against World Cup debutants, and both were completed with a penalty kick.
| Tournament | Date | Opponent | Match Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 USA | June 21, 1994 | Greece | 4–0 Win |
| 1998 France | June 21, 1998 | Jamaica | 5–0 Win |
Players with Back-to-Back World Cup Hat-Tricks
Only two players in the history of the men’s FIFA World Cup have scored hat-tricks in consecutive matches.
Both players achieved this feat within a single tournament, scoring their back-to-back trebles in just a few days.
| Player | Team | Matches | Tournament | Time Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | vs. South Korea (9–0) vs. West Germany (8–3) | 1954 Switzerland | 4 Days |
| Gerd Müller | West Germany | vs. Bulgaria (5–2) vs. Peru (3–1) | 1970 Mexico | 3 Days |
Fastest World Cup Hat-Trick Ever
- Record Holder: László Kiss
- Edition: 1982 World Cup Spain
- Match: Hungary vs El Salvador
- Time Frame: 7 Minutes, Three goals scored in 69′, 70′, and 76′ after coming on as a substitute
Speed records are among the most dramatic in all of football, and the fastest World Cup hat-trick belongs to a substitute who entered the pitch and immediately made history.
László Kiss entered the match as a substitute and, within just seven minutes, had scored three goals — the fastest hat-trick in FIFA tournament records.
What makes the feat even more remarkable is that Kiss was not even a starter; he came on in the second half of a match already well in hand for Hungary and still produced one of the most explosive individual bursts in World Cup record breakers history.
| Player | Team | Opponent (Year) | Time Taken | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| László Kiss | Hungary | El Salvador (1982) | 7 min 42 sec | Scored in the 69′, 72′, and 76′ minutes. |
| Erich Probst | Austria | Czechoslovakia (1954) | 20 minutes | Completed by the 24th minute of the match. |
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | South Korea (1954) | 26 minutes | Completed by the 50th minute of the match. |
Hat-Tricks in FIFA World Cup Finals
Of all the football World Cup records, perhaps none is more coveted or more rare than a hat-trick in the World Cup Final itself. Only two players in history have ever achieved this feat across 22 tournaments.
Geoff Hurst — 1966, Wembley
Geoff Hurst remains the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final.
His three goals against West Germany in the 1966 final at Wembley Stadium secured England’s 4–2 victory and their only World Cup title.
The performance is among the most iconic World Cup hat-tricks in football history, celebrated not only for the volume of goals but for their dramatic weight: his second goal — the controversial “did it cross the line?” effort — remains one of the most debated moments in football, while his thunderous third in the final moments sealed an unforgettable triumph.
Hurst’s hat-trick in the highest-pressure match in football elevated him into the pantheon of legendary World Cup performances — a feat that may never be surpassed simply because the opportunity itself is so extraordinarily rare.
Kylian Mbappé — 2022, Lusail
Over half a century later, Kylian Mbappé became only the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final.
His three goals against Argentina in Qatar 2022 came in one of the greatest finals ever played, rescuing France from a 2–0 deficit in the final 10 minutes of normal time.
Though France ultimately lost on penalties, Mbappé’s display — including two goals in 97 seconds — was a stunning individual showcase on the grandest stage.
Hat-Tricks in a Losing Match
In the history of the men’s FIFA World Cup, only three players have scored a hat-trick and ended on the losing side in regulation or extra time. A fourth, Kylian Mbappé, scored a hat-trick in a match his team eventually lost on penalties.
| Player | Team | Opponent | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst Wilimowski | Poland | Brazil | 1938 France | 5–6 (AET) |
| Josef Hügi | Switzerland | Austria | 1954 Switzerland | 5–7 |
| Igor Belanov | Soviet Union | Belgium | 1986 Mexico | 3–4 (AET) |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | Argentina | 2022 Qatar | 3–3 (2–4 on pens) |
Greatest FIFA World Cup Hat-Trick Performances Ever
Not all hat-tricks are created equal. The quality of opposition, stage of the tournament, and manner of goals all determine where each performance sits in the list of the greatest World Cup individual performances.
1. Kylian Mbappé vs Argentina — 2022 Final
Arguably the most spectacular hat-trick in World Cup history given its context. France were 3–1 down with 10 minutes remaining in the final when Mbappé scored twice in 97 seconds.
He then converted a penalty in extra time to level at 3–3. His hat-trick in a World Cup Final, against the eventual champions, made him only the second man after Geoff Hurst to achieve the feat — and among the most historic World Cup goals ever scored.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Spain — 2018 Group Stage
One of the most dramatic individual performances in World Cup history.
Portugal trailed 3–2 in injury time when Ronaldo delivered a perfect free-kick with the outside of his boot to claim a 3–3 draw.
The hat-trick came against one of football’s all-time great international sides, making it one of the most famous World Cup hat-tricks of the modern era.
3. Gabriel Batistuta vs Greece — 1994 Group Stage
Batistuta’s first World Cup hat-trick announced him to the world as one of football’s most lethal strikers.
His combination of power, positioning, and finishing against Greece was relentless.
The fact he would repeat the feat four years later against Jamaica underlines his unique place in World Cup scoring records.
4. Pelé vs France — 1958 Semi-Final
A 17-year-old scoring a hat-trick in a World Cup semi-final. No further context is necessary.
Pelé’s performance against France remains one of the most awe-inspiring debuts on the global stage and is routinely cited among football’s all-time great moments.
5. Eusébio vs North Korea — 1966 Quarter-Final
Portugal found themselves 3–0 down to North Korea in one of the World Cup’s greatest shocks — before Eusébio responded with four goals, turning a potential humiliation into a 5–3 comeback win.
It remains one of the most dramatic matches and individual performances in World Cup history.
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2026 FIFA World Cup Hat-Tricks Watch
As the football world prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, fans will once again watch to see whether new names can join the exclusive list of FIFA World Cup hat-trick scorers.
With the tournament expanding to 48 teams and more matches than ever before, the 2026 edition could produce additional opportunities for players to record historic World Cup hat-tricks.
Players to Watch for Hat-Tricks
- Kylian Mbappé (France): The Real Madrid star and defending Golden Boot winner is the favorite to lead the scoring charts. He already has a hat-trick in a World Cup final (2022).
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): Playing in his likely final World Cup at age 39, Messi remains a threat in a group featuring Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
- Harry Kane (England): A past Golden Boot winner (2018) who frequently scores multiple goals in group-stage matches against lower-ranked opponents, such as his 2018 hat-trick against Panama.
- Erling Haaland (Norway): Making his World Cup debut, Haaland entered the tournament after a prolific qualifying campaign where he scored 16 goals for Norway.
FAQs About FIFA World Cup Hat-Tricks
Who scored the first FIFA World Cup hat-trick?
Bert Patenaude of the United States scored the first hat-trick in World Cup history against Paraguay at the 1930. Although disputed for decades, FIFA officially confirmed Patenaude as the scorer in 2006 after a historical review of match records.
Who has the most World Cup hat-tricks?
Gabriel Batistuta of Argentina holds the record with two World Cup hat-tricks — scored at USA 1994 (vs Greece) and France 1998 (vs Jamaica). He is the only player to have scored hat-tricks at two separate World Cup tournaments.
Has anyone scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final?
Yes — only twice in history. Geoff Hurst of England scored three goals in the 1966 Final against West Germany (England won 4–2), and Kylian Mbappé scored three goals in the 2022 Final against Argentina (France lost on penalties after a 3–3 draw).
What is the fastest World Cup hat-trick ever?
László Kiss of Hungary scored the fastest hat-trick in World Cup history in 1982, netting three goals in approximately seven minutes (69′, 70′, 76′) as a substitute against El Salvador in a match Hungary won 10–1.
Who is the youngest World Cup hat-trick scorer?
Pelé of Brazil is the youngest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. He was 17 years and 239 days old when he scored three goals against France in the 1958 semi-final — a record that stands over 65 years later.
Who is the oldest World Cup hat-trick scorer?
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick when he netted three goals against Spain at the 2018 World Cup aged 33 years and 130 days. His dramatic free-kick in stoppage time completed the hat-trick in a 3–3 draw.
FIFA World Cup hat-tricks represent the pinnacle of individual achievement in football’s greatest tournament. Across nearly a century of competition, from Patenaude’s pioneer effort in 1930 to Mbappé’s breathtaking final performance in 2022, these rare moments define eras, elevate careers, and etch names permanently into football history records.
What unites every player on this list — Pelé, Batistuta, Eusébio, Hurst, Ronaldo, Mbappé — is not just technical excellence but the ability to deliver under pressure so immense that most elite footballers never approach this feat at all. That rarity is precisely what makes each hat-trick so precious.
As the FIFA World Cup continues to grow, and as the next generation of footballers takes the stage, the hunt for the next hat-trick hero begins anew. The complete FIFA World Cup hat-tricks list remains one of football’s most exclusive clubs — and one of its most compelling records to follow.
