What do you call a double hat-trick? A deep dive into soccer‘s ultimate scoring feat

Hey there soccer fan! If you‘re like me, you love seeing players hit that magical hat-trick – 3 goals in one game. But have you ever wondered what it‘s called when someone scores even more, like 6 goals? Let‘s take a deep dive into the hat-trick and its elusive double version.

A Quick History of the Hat-Trick

First, where did the term "hat-trick" come from anyway? The origins are murky, but most sources trace it back to early English cricket in the 1800s and 1900s. Back then, it was a tradition for fans to award the bowler a new hat if they got 3 wickets in 3 straight balls.

Some believe the term jumped to football/soccer in the early 1900s when fans would similarly tip their hats to any player that managed 3 goals in a match. By the 1940s, "hat-trick" was a well-known part of soccer vernacular.

Now it‘s used across sports from hockey to basketball when someone pulls off a triple feat. But in soccer, it remains that iconic trio of goals by one player in 90 minutes.

Just How Rare Are Hat-Tricks?

Scoring one goal in a game is tough enough. Bagging a brace (2 goals) is a great achievement. But getting that hat-trick eludes most players their whole careers.

Let‘s break down some numbers:

• Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record with 62 hat-tricks in club football and international matches.
• Lionel Messi is not far behind with 56.
• In the English Premier League‘s 30 year history, the record is 11 hat-tricks by Sergio Aguero.
• The most by one player in a Premier League season is 4 (Shared by Aguero, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry).
• Only 9 hat-tricks have been scored in World Cup final tournaments.

So you can see, even among elite scorers at the top level, hat-tricks are an infrequent treat. Scoring one is often the pinnacle accomplishment of a player‘s entire career.

Which Leagues See the Most Hat-Tricks?

The major European leagues with the most hat-tricks per season are usually:

1. English Premier League – 7 to 10 per season
2. German Bundesliga – 7 to 9
3. Spanish La Liga – 6 to 8
4. Italian Serie A – 3 to 5

The Premier League and Bundesliga tend to have more thanks to their fast-paced, high-scoring style. Defensive-minded leagues like Serie A see fewer.

Interestingly, hat-tricks may be getting more common over time as the game evolves. In the 1990s, 6 or 7 hat-tricks per Premier League season was typical. Now the average is over 9, peaking at 16 in 2011/12!

What Tactical Factors Make a Hat-Trick Likely?

Certain player positions and tactical styles lend themselves to more hat-tricks. Let‘s review some patterns:

• Wingers and strikers account for most hat-tricks, especially speedy goal poachers.
• Teams that dominate possession create more chances.
• Counterattacking sides often produce "perfect" hat-tricks on the break.
• High pressing tactics can lead to forced turnovers and quick bursts for goals.
• Playmakers feeding golden boot winners is a recipe for hat-tricks.

You‘re more likely to see them when top sides face weak opposition and pile on the goals. The defending team‘s tactics also matter – high lines and open styles allow more chances.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the poster child here. His relentless attacking runs and lethal finishing skills have produced a record 62 hat-tricks against overmatched defenses.

Profile of Top Hat-Trick Heroes

Let‘s profile players who have made the hat-trick almost routine:

Cristiano Ronaldo – We‘ve already mentioned his 62 hat-tricks, 50 with Real Madrid. He‘s had multiple hat-tricks in a season on nine occasions, and hit four trebles just in 2014/15 La Liga play. At his peak, CR7 could demolish weaker opponents almost at will.

Lionel Messi – Ronaldo‘s rival isn‘t far behind with 56 hat-tricks for Barcelona and Argentina. He‘s scored 5+ goals six times in his career. During the 2011-12 La Liga season he racked up an unthinkable eight hat-tricks just in league play alone!

Ferenc Puskás – This Hungarian legend scored hat-tricks like they were going out of style. He memorably put four past England in 1953 then hit another treble against them at Wembley in 1954. His flamboyant style lent itself to tearing apart defenses.

Alan Shearer – Shearer‘s deadly runs and world class finishing saw him score a record 11 Premier League hat-tricks. The ultimate poacher and prototypical English striker.

There are many more from Pele to Gerd Muller to the great Finnish striker Aki Riihilahti! But you get the idea – a prolific, often streaky goal scorer is the perfect hat-trick formula.

Epic "Perfect" Hat Tricks

The holy grail is a "perfect" hat-trick with goals scored via left foot, right foot, and header. It showcases all the skills. Here are some classics:

• Diego Maradona – Argentina vs Belgium 1986 World Cup
• Marco van Basten – Ajax vs NAC Breda 1993
• Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid vs Sevilla 2010 La Liga
• Thomas Müller – Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen 2012 Bundesliga

Maradona‘s was part of his legendary "Goal of the Century" game to eliminate Belgium. A once in a lifetime performance.

The Mythical Double Hat-Trick

Now we get to the heart of this article – what about scoring 6 goals, essentially a double hat-trick? As you might expect, this is infinitesimally rare in competitive pro leagues. But it has happened:

• In 1982, Laszlo Kiss scored 6 for Hungary against El Salvador in the World Cup group stage.
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer famously scored 4 goals in 12 minutes after subbing on for Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest in 1999.
• In 2015, Jamie Vardy hit 6 against defending champions Man City in the Premier League for Leicester City.
• The young phenomenon Erling Haaland put up back-to-back double hat-tricks for Borussia Dortmund in late 2019.

There‘s no "official" name for 6 goals, but media has called it a double hat-trick or simply a 6-goal haul. I think double hat-trick nicely matches the theme!

Even Wilder Goal-Scoring Feats

Think the double hat-trick is the limits of human scoring potential? Think again! Beyond 6 goals, the records get truly astounding:

• In 1983, legendary Brazilian striker Pele scored 8 (yes EIGHT) goals in a single match for Santos against Botafogo.
• Archie Thompson holds the individual game scoring record with 13 goals for Australia against American Samoa in 2002.
• The top scoring game ever was Arbroath‘s 36-0 demolition of Bon Accord in 1885.

So while 6 is essentially the max in competitive modern football, under the right circumstances, some truly mind-blowing totals are possible!

My Favorite Hat-Tricks Witnessed

As a lifelong soccer fanatic, I‘ve been lucky enough to see some incredible hat-tricks live and on TV over the years:

• Dennis Bergkamp‘s 1998 World Cup effort for Netherlands against Argentina was a masterclass in finishing.
• Watching teen phenom Michael Owen score a "perfect" hat-trick at the 1998 World Cup had me yelling at the TV for days.
• Sergio Aguero was unstoppable in that famous 2011/12 Premier League title-winning season for Man City. His three goals in a comeback against Chelsea stick out.
• Any Lionel Messi treble, like his Champions League masterpiece against Arsenal in 2010, is a thing of beauty.

I could watch players put up hat-tricks all day long. There‘s nothing quite like that ruthless goal-scoring mentality when a player gets hot.

Closing Thoughts

Well friend, there you have it – everything you could possibly want to know about the magic of the hat-trick! Looking back over soccer history, players that rise above like Gerd Müller, Ferenc Puskás, and Cristiano Ronaldo will always be remembered for their uncanny treble scoring exploits.

It remains the pinnacle accomplishment in a single game. The elusive double hat-trick, or 6-goal haul, is a truly rare gem. Let‘s hope we see a young striker come along soon who can consistently join the likes of Kiss, Solskjaer, and Haaland in that exclusive club!