5 players to score a hat-trick in a European final | UEFA Europa League 2023-24
Atalanta and Ademola Lookman stunned the footballing world by thrashing Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in Dublin on Thursday, May 23. The German outfit's 51-game unbeaten streak came to an end following Lookman's unbelievable hat-trick.
For a player to play in a European final itself would be a dream, but to demolish the opponent by scoring a hat-trick will transcend a player's dream. Although one might argue that a fair bit of luck of involved, which is true given the number of opportunities taken in a huge pressure game like a final. Some of the greatest have frozen in the spotlight while others have cherished and produced unthinkable displays. One such occasion happened last night, with Ademola Lookman hitting the back of the net thrice to become the first player in the 21st century to score a hat-trick in the European final.
In this article, we will take a look at five players who have scored a hat-trick in a European final.
#5 Jupp Heynckes
UEFA Cup finals were typically played in a home-and-away format like the ongoing European competitions knockout rounds. Following a stalemate at Rheinstadion in Dusseldorf, FC Twente thought they held an upper hand in the second half only for Borussia Monchengladbach to demolish them in the Netherlands.
Jupp Heynckes followed up with a hat-trick after Simonsen opened the scoring in the second minute. Simonsen, who scored the opener, also scored the final goal of the game with a spot-kick in the 86th minute. Jupp scored in the ninth, 50th, and 60th minute of the game to earn a cruising 5-1 aggregate victory.
#4 Pierino Prati
Pierino Prati led AC Milan to the club's second European Cup trophy, formally known as the Champions League nowadays, by scoring a hat-trick against Ajax in 1969.
The Rossoneri took a two-goal lead into the half-time, courtesy of a brace from Pierino Prati. However, Ajax pulled one back in the 60th minute and scored through Velibor Vasovic. At the other end of the pitch, Angelo Sormani hit the back of the net seven minutes later.
To put the game beyond the eyesight of the Netherlands giants', Prati completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute to become the third player to score a hat-trick in the European competition final.
#3 Alfredo Di Stefano
Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt went head-to-head in the 1960 European Cup in Glasgow. Los Blancos thrashed their opponents 7-3 after conceding the opening goal of the game. It is one of the most historical games for the Spanish giants as two players scored a hat-trick in the same game, with Di Stefano scoring thrice and Puskas scoring as many as four.
After leaking the first goal, Real scored seven goals past the German club, before Frankfurt added a couple of late consolation goals.
#2 Ademola Lookman
Ademola Lookman, who netted only twice throughout the 2023-24 Europa League campaign, sent shockwaves to the entire world by scoring a hat-trick and driving Atalanta to a comprehensive 3-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen. The Nigerian scored two goals in the first half before putting the game beyond the eyesight of Xabi Alonso and company, and putting an end to the German club's unbeaten streak which extended to 51 games.
Only 15 players had managed to receive a 10/10 rating from the French publication L'Equipe before the Europa League final. Lookman becomes the 16th player to do so.
#1 Ferenc Puskas
Ferenc Puskas followed up his second consecutive European Cup final with a hat-trick after scoring four in his first final in 1960. The Hungarian, however, this time was at the wrong end of the game as Los Blancos surrendered their slender one-goal first-half lead to Benfica to concede three goals in the second half.
Puskas scored a first-half hat-trick, but one goal apiece from Aguas, Cavem, Coluna, and a brace from Eusebio make it two European cups in two years for the Portuguese club. Puskas is the only player to score two hat-tricks in a European competition final.