Players who scored a hat-trick after starting on the bench

Football is a squad game these days and managers often look to the bench for inspiration if a game is going against their team.

Sometimes it is a change of tactics, often just another threat: perhaps a bit of pace or trickery, a player who can exploit tired defences.

If there is a footballer on the bench who can score goals, even better. Sometimes it is a key player who has been rested or is returning from injury. On other occasions, it might be a specialist supersub.

Here, a look at some of the players who not only came on and made an impact, but managed to score a hat-trick after starting on the bench…

18. Vicente Iborra (Sevilla)

A defensive midfielder who often played more of an attacking role at Sevilla, Vicente Iborra chipped in with his fair share of goals in four seasons with the Andalusian club.

And in a La Liga game at Celta Vigo in December 2016, Iborra came off the bench to replace defender Nico Pareja and ended up making history at Balaídos. Iborra scored three times, including a late penalty, to hand Sevilla a 3-0 victory and become the first player in La Liga history to score a hat-trick away from home after starting on the bench.

17. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea)

With Chelsea 2-1 down to Wolves in the Premier League in March 2004, Claudio Ranieri sent on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink after an hour.

Frank Lampard levelled 10 minutes later, but the Dutch striker stole the show on his 32nd birthday, hitting a superb hat-trick in the final 13 minutes as the Blues ultimately cruised to a 5-2 win at Stamford Bridge.

16. Kevin-Prince Boateng (AC Milan)

AC Milan were enduring a miserable afternoon at Lecce when Kevin-Prince Boateng replaced Robinho at half-time in the sides’ Serie A clash in October 2011.

The Rossoneri were 3-0 down, with hopes of a comeback seemingly slim, but Boateng hit a 14-minute hat-trick to level the scores at 3-3 and Mario Yepes scored a late winner for Massimiliano Allegri’s side.

15. Uwe Rösler (Kaiserslautern)

Former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler was the first player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League after starting on the bench.

Rösler replaced defender Harry Koch after 37 minutes and went on to score three times as Kaiserslautern came from behind to thrash Finnish side HJK Helsinki 5-2 in December 1998.

14. Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal)

Emmanuel Adebayor came on for Robin van Persie at half-time in Arsenal’s Premier League game against Derby County in April 2008 and the Togolese forward stole the show.

Adebayor hit his first after 14 minutes on the pitch and added two more in a 6-2 win for the Gunners at Pride Park.

13. Joseba Llorente (Villarreal)

Villarreal thrashed Danish side AaB 6-3 in the Champions League in October 2023, but the Yellow Submarine’s big win was largely thanks to one man.

With the scores level at 2-2 after the first half, Joseba Llorente was brought on to replace Guillermo Franco and the Spanish striker hit a second-half hat-trick – in the 67th, 70th and 84th minutes – as the home side took control. Giuseppe Rossi, Joan Capdevila and Robert Pirès scored Villareal’s other goals.

12. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Marcus Rashford came off the bench after 63 minutes against RB Leipzig in the Champions League in October 2023 and the England forward hit a quick-fire hat-trick in a 5-0 win at Old Trafford.

Rashford replaced Mason Greenwood, who had scored United’s opening goal in the first half, and wrapped up a hat-trick in added time after netting in the 74th and 78th minutes. Unfortunately, though, no fans were there to see it due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Anthony Martial scored United’s other goal.

11. Romelu Lukaku (West Brom)

Manchester United and West Brom drew 5-5 at The Hawthorns in an extraordinary Premier League match in May 2013.

It was Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game as Manchester United manager and the first 5-5 draw in Premier League history. With West Brom 3-1 down at the break, Romelu Lukaku came on for Liam Ridgewell and the Belgian striker scored three times in an amazing second half.

10. Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

Dropped from the Tottenham team after a difficult start to the season had brought no goals in eight appearances, Son Heung-min was back with a bang against Leicester City in September 2022.

After replacing Richarlison just short of the hour mark, Son scored stunning goals with both feet in the 73rd and 84th minutes, before completing his hat-trick moments later as Spurs won 6-1 in N17.

9. Walter Pandiani (Deportivo La Coruña)

With Deportivo La Coruña trailing Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 at home in the Champions League in March 2001, coach Javier Irureta sent on striker Walter Pandiani for midfielder Emerson.

It didn’t look like the change would bring success as PSG added a third 10 minutes into the second half, but Pandiani went on to hit a hat-trick and Diego Tristán scored another as Deportivo came back to seal an incredible 4-3 win at Riazor.

8. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami & Argentina)

Lionel Messi came off the bench to hit a hat-trick for Inter Miami against New England Revolution in October 2024, scoring three goals in the space of 11 minutes in a 6-2 win after replacing Julian Gressel short of the hour mark.

It was not the first time Messi had hit a hat-trick after starting on the bench, having achieved the feat for Argentina against Panama at the Copa América Centenario in 2016. His three goals in 19 minutes was the quickest in the competition’s history.

7. Lautaro Martínez (Inter)

With Inter unable to find a breakthrough away to Salernitana in September 2023, coach Simone Inzaghi sent on Lautaro Martínez to replace Alexis Sánchez after 55 minutes of the Serie A clash.

The Argentine attacker quickly made his mark, scoring within seven minutes and later adding three more – including a penalty – to seal a 4-0 win for the Nerazzurri.

6. Kylian Mbappé (PSG)

With Paris Saint-Germain just a goal up away to Club Brugge in the Champions League in October 2019, Kylian Mbappé was introduced early in the second half.

The 20-year-old made a quick impact, scoring inside nine minutes and hitting a hat-trick, while also setting up another for Mauro Icardi. « I wanted to start, » he said afterwards. It showed.

5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Mohamed Salah started on the bench for Liverpool away to Rangers in the Champions League in October 2022.

The Egyptian forward eventually came on in the second half with the Reds already 3-1 up and netted three times in just over six minutes to take home the match ball as Jürgen Klopp’s side ran out 7-1 winners at Ibrox.

4. Ole Gunnar Solskjær (Manchester United)

With Manchester United 4-1 up away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in February 1999, Alex Ferguson sent on Ole Gunnar Solskjær to replace Dwight Yorke after 72 minutes.

With the result already in the bag, United’s first-team coach Jimmy Ryan told the Norwegian to « just keep the ball » for the remaining minutes. But Solskjær had other ideas and scored four goals in the space of 12 minutes in an extraordinary 8-1 win. Supersub.

3. Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland came off the bench to score a hat-trick for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga in January 2020 – on his debut for the club.

With Dortmund trailing 3-1 at Augsburg just short of the hour mark, Haaland was sent on and within 20 minutes, the Norwegian had hit a debut hat-trick in an amazing 5-3 win for Lucien Favre’s side.

2. Dieter Müller (West Germany)

Not only did Dieter Müller come off the bench to score a hat-trick, but he did it on his international debut for West Germany – and in a major championship semi-final.

Müller replaced Herbert Wimmer with 11 minutes left as the defending champions trailed Yugoslavia 2-1 in Belgrade. But within three minutes, the FC Köln striker had equalised and he went on to add two more in extra time as the West Germans prevailed in a 4-2 victory. He also scored in the final, but West Germany were beaten on penalties by Czechoslovakia after a 2-2 draw.

1. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Robert Lewandowski came off the bench at half-time for Bayern Munich against Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga in September 2015 with the Bavarians trailing 1-0 at the Allianz Arena.

But the Polish striker quickly made his mark, scoring a hat-trick in just over three minutes and five goals inside nine – all between the 51st and 60th minutes as Bayern turned the game around in an extraordinary 5-1 win. On the sidelines, coach Pep Guardiola held his head in disbelief and Lewandowski earned himself a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Amazing.