In the grand theater of international football, scoring a hat-trick at a World Cup is a moment that crowns a player’s legacy. In this article, DaoKick takes you on a journey through the rare club of players with the most hat tricks in World Cup history. Who has done it more than once? Who stands alone? And what stories hide behind those braces of trebles on the biggest stage? Let’s dive in.
The rarity and romance of the World Cup hat-trick
Scoring three goals in a World Cup match is far from easy — defenses tighten, stakes skyrocket, pressure builds. Across more than 90 years and 22 editions, only 54 hat-tricks have ever been recorded in men’s FIFA World Cup finals tournaments.
That means hat-tricks are exceedingly rare — on average, about 2.5. In some tournaments, none occurred (for example, the 2006 edition).
Before we name the top scorers, here are a few eye-catching facts:
- The first hat-trick in Cup history was by Bert Patenaude (USA) in 1930 against Paraguay.
- The edition with the most hat-tricks was 1954 in Switzerland, where eight hat-tricks were scored.
- Among those hat-tricks, only four players ever scored more than one in World Cup tournaments.
- Of those four, only Gabriel Batistuta achieved hat-tricks in two separate World Cups (1994 and 1998).
With that stage set, let’s reveal the names that top the list.
Who holds the record: the names behind multiple World Cup hat tricks
Four unique legends with double hat-tricks
Only four players in World Cup history have managed to score two hat-tricks. Their feats place them at the summit of this rare statistic. The four are:
| Player | Nation | Tournaments / Year(s) | Notes |
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 1954 (two trebles) | Scored back-to-back hat-tricks just days apart within the same tournament. |
| Just Fontaine | France | 1958 (two hat-tricks) | One of the most prolific single-tournament goalscorers in history. |
| Gerd Müller | West Germany | 1970 (two hat-tricks) | His back-to-back doubles underscore his predatory instinct. |
| Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | 1994 & 1998 | The only player to record hat-tricks in two different World Cups. |
Because no one has ever scored three or more World Cup hat-tricks, these four share the top spot.
Spotlight: Batistuta’s unique place
Of all four, Batistuta’s achievement is the most remarkable: he not only scored two hat-tricks, but did so in different editions. In 1994, he netted three goals (including a penalty) against Greece; in 1998, he repeated the feat against Jamaica.
This bifurcated performance places him in a class of his own — he is the only player to have multi-hat-tricks across separate World Cup tournaments. His consistency across tournaments underscores not just a scoring burst, but sustained excellence at the highest level.
Memorable individual hat-tricks and weird anomalies
While the list above captures the most hat-tricks, many individual hat-tricks deserve spotlighting for their drama, context, or rarity. Below are a few of the most unforgettable.
Geoff Hurst — final heroics
In the 1966 final, England’s Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick in extra time to seal their only World Cup victory. He is one of only two players to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Kylian Mbappé — flair and heartbreak
At the 2022 final, France’s Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick (80′, 81′, 118′), two, leveling Argentina in extra time before the penalty shoot-out.
Oleg Salenko — five goals, one match
Though not a hat-trick in the narrow sense, Oleg Salenko delivered the most goal haul in one World Cup match: 5 goals for Russia against Cameroon in 1994. That performance includes a hat-trick plus two extra.
Youngest, fastest, weirdest
- Youngest hat-trick scorer: Pelé at 17 years, 244 days (1958 semifinal).
- Fastest hat-trick: László Kiss (7 minutes, 69′ to 76′ in 1982).
- Hat-trick by debutant: Guillermo Stábile scored a hat-trick in his very first World Cup match (1930).
- Hat-trick on losing side: Ernst Wilimowski scored 4 for Poland but lost 5–6 in 1938; Igor Belanov scored 3 in a 3–4 loss in 1986.
These moments add texture and mythology to the raw stat of “most hat tricks.”
Why more hat-tricks no longer appear
If hat-tricks were easier to come by in earlier eras, why have we not seen modern players break the “two hat-tricks” barrier?
- Tactical balance — modern football emphasizes defense, pressing, organization. It’s far tougher to dominate a match 3–0 or more.
- Greater parity — nations are more evenly matched; few sides are overwhelmed completely anymore.
- Rotation and substitutions — top scorers may be rested, substituted, or managed across games, limiting opportunities.
- Tournament format and fewer matches per side — fewer group matches, tougher knockout paths reduce chances of hat-trick opportunities.
For those reasons, historic names like Kocsis, Fontaine, Müller and Batistuta may remain atop this niche leaderboard indefinitely.
Other notable hat-trick contributors
Though they didn’t reach “two” hat-tricks, many players’ solitary World Cup hat-trick is etched in memory. A few highlights:
- Thomas Müller (Germany, 2014)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, 2018)
- Harry Kane (England, 2018)
- Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina, 2010)
- Miroslav Klose (Germany, 2002)
- Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland, 2014)
Each of these names belongs to the exclusive club of players who ever scored three goals in a World Cup match.
While these are thrilling achievements, the players with most hat tricks in World Cup remain the four double-treble legends.
Final Thoughts
DaoKick celebrates the supremacy of those legendary players who scored the players with most hat tricks in World Cup. Only four in history managed two hat-tricks: Sándor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, Gerd Müller and Gabriel Batistuta, with Batistuta uniquely scoring his in two separate tournaments.
If you’re hungry for more content like this — detailed player bios, rare stat breakdowns, or top-10 lists of tournament feats — stay with DaoKick. Bookmark this page, share with fellow fans, and let us guide you deeper into the beautiful game’s legends.
