Portugal demolished Switzerland 6-1 in the Round of 16 at Qatar 2022 led by three Goncalo Ramos goals. So who were the last five players to score hat-tricks on the World Cup stage?
Selecao boss Fernando Santos axed Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench for the Lusail Iconic Stadium affair on Tuesday, December 6. The coach had expressed his angst at the forward ahead of the tie after reacting angrily to being substituted against South Korea in Group H.
Ramos more than justified his first senior international start in the knockout stage meeting with three well-taken goals. The 21-year-old – earning just his fourth cap – also laid on one assist as Portugal secured a quarter-final with Morocco, who edged Spain 3-0 on penalties.
Portugal gem Ramos becomes the first player to score a 2022 World Cup hat-trick
Ramos broke the deadlock for Portugal against Switzerland on 17 minutes with a powerful drive at Yann Sommer’s near post. The Benfica striker left the Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper helpless to stop the ball crashing into the back of the Nati net as it whistled in.
Portugal clicked in ferocious fashion without 37-year-old Ronaldo leading the attack to run riot against Switzerland. Yet it was 39-year-old centre-half Pepe who cemented the lead at the break. The veteran enforcer attacked a 33rd-minute corner unchecked to head home.
Nati had no answers for the fluidity at which the Selecao ran through their midfield and at their defence. The game was then done and dusted on 51 minutes when Ramos added his second goal at the near post. He then fed Raphael Guerreiro to riffle in four minutes later.
Manuel Akanji would pull a goal back for Switzerland soon after Guerreiro left Sommer to pick the ball out of his net once more. But the Manchester City centre-half’s effort would not stop the rot at the other end as Ramos hit again before Rafael Leao curled in a lovely effort.
The first hat-trick of the 2022 World Cup shows why Newcastle wanted Ramos
With his three goals against Switzerland, Ramos became the first player to score a hat-trick at the 2022 World Cup after Portugal coach Santos chose the youngster over Ronaldo. The Selecao boss had also only given Ramos his debut a week before the World Cup kicked off.
Ramos now has four goals and an assist in four caps amid a 14-goal, six-assist season for Benfica. His efforts firmly showed why Newcastle United were ready to pay €40m (£34m) to edge Everton, Wolves and Leeds United’s rival interest this summer, per Jornal de Noticias.
Santos could now keep hat-trick hero Ramos for Ronaldo in Portugal’s World Cup quarter-final with Morocco on Saturday, December 10. But after becoming the first player to score three goals at Qatar 2022, HITC Football looks at the last players with World Cup hat-tricks.
Kane was the last player to score a World Cup hat-trick in England vs Panama
Ramos is now the 53rd player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup over all 22 editions of the quadrennial FIFA tournament. He is also the first player to net three in a knockout tie since Tomas Skuhravy bagged a treble as the Czech Republic beat Costa Rica 4-1 at Italia 90.
Skuhravy also scored his hat-trick in the Round of 16, like Ramos. The following 10 stars to bag three goals in a World Cup tie before Ramos each did so during the group stage. Harry Kane was the last to do so after netting a hat-trick as England beat Panama at Russia 2018.
But Tottenham Hotspur talisman Kane’s treble also featured two penalties en route to a 6-1 win. He rippled the back of the net from the spot on 22’ and 45+1 minutes after fouls on Jesse Lingard and Kane. The Three Lions captain fired in again on 62’ with a deflected shot.
Kane would go on to win the Golden Boot at Russia 2018 with six goals as England reached the semi-finals. The 29-year-old had already scored twice against Tunisia at the last World Cup before a hat-trick against Panama. He hit his final goal in the last 16 against Colombia.
Ronaldo scored all three of the Selecao’s strikes in a 3-3 draw with Spain in 2018
Ronaldo would only watch whilst Ramos bagged a hat-trick to repeat his own treble at the last World Cup. The Selecao icon netted each of his sides’ three strikes in a 3-3 group stage draw with Spain. He also rescued a point from their Group B encounter in the 88th minute.
Portugal and Spain met in Sochi in their first fixture for Russia 2018 before both advanced to the knockout stages. It also only took Ronaldo four minutes to break the deadlock from the penalty spot. The veteran forward flashed the ball in after Nacho felled him in the box.
David de Gea would later gift Ronaldo a second on the cusp of half-time as the goalkeeper fumbled his shot. Diego Costa had drawn La Roja level before the shot-stopper’s error. He would also equalise again after the break before Nacho atoned for the penalty in the 58th.
Yet Ronaldo came up trumps in the 88th minute when his swerving free-kick beat De Gea for a draw. The hat-trick marks three of the 195-cap legend’s eight goals over 21 games at World Cups. But Ronaldo is still yet to find the back of the net during a knockout stage tie.
Shaqiri set Swiss hearts racing with his hat-trick against Honduras at Brazil 2014
Xherdan Shaqiri could not inspire Switzerland against Portugal at the 2022 World Cup. But the winger set Swiss hearts racing with his hat-trick against Honduras at Brazil 2014. He hit all three of Nati’s goals in a 3-0 win to secure them second place in Group E behind France.
Switzerland had started well in South America with a 2-1 win over Ecuador before losing 5-2 to France. Ecuador beating Honduras 2-1 would put their future on the line travelling to the Arena da Amazonia. But Shaqiri ensured their passage as La Tri and Les Bleus drew 0-0.
Shaqiri has now featured at four World Cups with his appearances at Qatar 2022 following his debut at South Africa 2010. He has also scored at the last three editions with at least a goal in 2014, 2018 and 2022. A hat-trick against Honduras also came only with his left foot.
Muller mullered Portugal with the first hat-trick at Brazil 2014 for Germany
Thomas Muller mullered Portugal with the first hat-trick at Brazil 2014 as Germany won 4-0 in Group G. The two teams met at the Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador in their first fixture. And it took the Bayern Munich icon just 12 minutes to score from the penalty spot.
Germany’s four Ms ran the Selecao ragged as Muller, Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze and Mats Hummels caused endless issues. Joao Pereira could only foul Gotze in the box to stop the midfielder attacking early on, too. Muller would drill the ball home into the bottom corner.
Hummels then doubled Die Mannschaft’s lead on 32’ before Muller got his second in first-half stoppage-time. Yet the Selecao’s hopes were already weakened after referee Milorad Mazic showed Pepe a straight red card after the defender appeared to headbutt Muller.
Muller would eventually finish the job in the 78th minute when Rui Patricio failed to deal with Andre Schurrle’s shot. The Salvador match was the first time that Portugal conceded four goals in a World Cup fixture. And the scoreline could have been much, much worse, as well.
Higuain hammered home the only hat-trick at South Africa 2010 for Argentina
Gonzalo Higuain hammered home the only hat-trick at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as Argentina beat South Korea. La Albiceleste beat the Taegeuk Warriors 4-1 during Group B in their second match. Lee Chung-Yong provided what was a consolation effort on 45+1’.
Higuain had already scored in South Africa after netting their only effort to beat Nigeria in Johannesburg 1-0. Park Chu-Young then gave Argentina an early lead against South Korea as the forward turned the ball into his own net on 17 minutes at the Soccer City Stadium.
Diego Maradona’s side then took full control of the tie when Higuain headed the ball home on 32 minutes. A quick-fire brace on 75’ and 79 minutes then ensured Lee did not inspire a comeback. Higuain finished his hat-trick with a tap-in and heading in Sergio Aguero’s cross.
No player scored a hat-trick during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. While Portugal hero Pauleta against Poland and German great Miroslav Klose in an 8-0 win over Saudi Arabia returned the only hat-tricks during the 2002 edition co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
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