What is a hat trick?
A hat trick is when one player scores three goals or points of the same kind in a single game. The term started in cricket in the 1800s.
In cricket, a bowler who took three wickets with three consecutive balls was sometimes rewarded with a new hat. The first recorded example came in 1858, when English bowler H.H. Stephenson was given a hat after such a feat. The phrase later spread to other sports.
In soccer and ice hockey, a hat trick means one player scoring three goals in a match. A perfect hat trick in soccer is one goal with the left foot, one with the right and one with the head. In ice hockey, fans traditionally throw hats onto the ice to celebrate.
Other uses
The term is now used for any three successes in a row, such as winning a title three years running. In Formula 1, a driver who takes pole position, wins the race and sets the fastest lap is said to score a hat trick.
Did You Know?
The fastest hat trick in Premier League history was scored by Sadio Mané for Southampton in 2015, in just 2 minutes and 56 seconds.