The Champions League 2025-26 season has been one of the unique campaigns in terms of the sheer number of hat-tricks scored. This edition of the competition has already seen eight hat-tricks scored, with the frequency of them increasing in the knockout stages. It is thrilling to see Europe's top forwards showcasing their best individual performances in crucial Champions League matches like never before. Record champions Real Madrid have been the most beneficial as they have scored the most hat-tricks, but each hat-trick was spectacular and crucial to the respective side, as they defined themselves with those performances in the competition.
Here are all hat-tricks scored in the Champions League 2025-26 season:
Kairat Almaty 0-5 Real Madrid (League Phase Gameweek 2) - Mbappe’s fury
The first hat-trick of the season came from the boots of none other than Kylian Mbappe, who had made a habit of scoring three in a single game in the competition lately. The Frenchman scored some stunning hat-tricks during his time with PSG, but also nabbed an important one since switching to Real Madrid against Manchester City in the competition in the knockout playoffs last year. However, he took the act to a different level in this edition’s League Phase with his first of the Champions League season coming against competition debutants Kairat Almaty in the second game. Los Blancos needed someone to inspire them to a victory, which they badly needed, coming off a heavy defeat in the Madrid derby.
Stepped up the marksman Mbappe, who dispatched a 25th-minute penalty to fend off the early threats from the hosts and it helped Madrid eventually open the floodgates in the second half. Just seven minutes after the break, the 27-year-old got on the scoresheet once again and it was a goal worth remembering. He raced onto a long pass straight from his goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, took a touch and chipped over the opposition number one for a remarkable finish. Mbappe left the finest of the strikes for the end as he slammed home from the edge of the box in the 73rd minute to complete a delightful hat-trick in an eventual 5-0 demolition of the Kazakh side. It was a class act from a player who is finding new ways to enhance his greatness. Read about All Kylian Mbappe Champions League Hat-Tricks
Barcelona 6-1 Olympiacos (League Phase Gameweek 3) - Ferming
Like Real Madrid, Barcelona were desperate for all three points in their game against Olympiacos to recover from their bitter defeat to holders PSG in their last League Phase match. Facing the Greek giants wasn’t a walk in the park, even at home, as they repeatedly tried to exploit the high line of the Catalan giant and threatened to cause a miracle. Yet, someone made the evening for his side, who is not mentioned much in the hype around Barcelona’s attack, containing Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and star boy Lamine Yamal. That name is Fermin Lopez, who normally pulls the strings in the attack silently, but delivered a performance in the evening that created all the noise at the end.
The Spaniard struck home in only the seventh minute of the game with an effortless finish, playing a neat one-two with Yamal before doubling the lead in the 39th minute with a flashy finish after getting past his man elegantly. That gave Hansi Flick’s side a healthy advantage at half-time and even though El Kaabi reduced the deficit early after the break from the spot, the visitors going down to 10 soon after allowed the host to take control entirely. After Yamal and Marcus Rashford joined the party, Fermin completed his first career hat-trick in some style by striking a powerful volley into the bottom-right corner. It was a 6-1 victory for the La Liga giants at the end, courtesy of Lopez’s enthralling act.
Ajax 0-3 Galatasaray (League Phase Gameweek 3) - Victor Osihmen
Wherever he goes, he becomes the name on everyone’s lips, as Victor Osihmen showed one of his highlight reels in the UEFA’s premier competition this season in the League Phase. Having enjoyed a goal-flurry debut campaign with the Turkish giants, he showed his dominance in Europe this time, replicating the traits of a lethal scorer, now a permanent player for them. The Nigerian netted his first hat-trick on the European stage and the seventh of his career to help Galatasaray clinch a crucial 3-0 victory over Ajax in their third League Phase match. It was their third straight victory in the League Phase and one of the results that helped them reach a knockout round of the competition for the first time in 12 years.
Osihmen’s hat-trick also came in the Amsterdam Arena, making him only the third player of an opposition team, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lucas Moura, to net three against the Dutch giants at the venue in the competition history. The former Napoli man also became just the second player to score a hat-trick in the competition for Gala after Burak Yilmaz, further demonstrating his brilliance. He opened the scoring just before the hour mark with a brilliant diving header from Leroy Sane’s cross before showing his clinicality from the spot twice to complete his hat-trick and secure a commendable victory.
Olympiacos 3-4 Real Madrid (League Phase Gameweek 5) - Kylian Mbappe At it again
Needless to say, if Real Madrid had managed to pump in lots of goals in a match, more often Kylian Mbappe would have to be the one running the show and he did so again in the League Phase this season with another splendid hat-trick. This one was more important as it saved the record champions from dropping unnecessary points in such a crucial stage of the campaign. Olympiacos put up a stellar fight when Los Blancos, then under Xabi Alonso, visited them in Greece, also taking an unexpected lead in just the eighth minute of the match. However, they weren’t prepared for what was to follow as the Frenchman unleashed a six-minute fury that was uncontrollable for the hosts' defence.
First, he got on the end of a terrific defence-splitting pass from Vinicius Junior and slotted in the equaliser with ease in the 22nd minute. In the blink of an eye, Mbappe was celebrating, giving his side the lead with a wonderful header from Arda Guler’s cross. As if that was not enough, the forward only went and completed a mind-blowing hat-trick in just six minutes and 42 seconds with a cool finish after being set free again. It became the second fastest ever in the competition's history. However, it was not done yet, as he added a fourth on the hour mark to seal the fortunes for his side and named himself among the great forwards in the competition.
PSG 5-3 Tottenham (League Phase Gameweek 5) - Vitinha’s show
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain welcomed Tottenham Hotspur in the French capital for a heavyweight clash in the fifth League Phase game and it delivered every inch by ending in an eight-goal thriller. However, it could have been tough for Luis Enrique’s men to secure a victory in the contest due to their defensive collapses if not for their star midfielder Vitinha making the stage of his own. The host fell behind in the 35th minute and it seemed they would carry the disadvantage into the second half when one of their Portuguese stars powered a spectacular strike from a corner that went in off the crossbar for the much-needed equaliser.
Vitinha retained the spotlight after the break, but for the wrong reasons initially, as his misplaced pass resulted in Spurs getting back their lead. However, the former Wolves player was able to redeem himself as he found PSG’s equaliser, yet again this time making a deft finish with a left-footed strike past Guglielmo Vicario. That allowed the home side to kill the tie off completely, with Fabian Ruiz giving Parisians the lead for the first time in the game and William Pacho’s header from a corner adding to it to leave Vitinha for the rest. The midfielder completed his first career hat-trick by converting from the spot in the 76th minute and put the seal on the win.
Qarabağ 1-6 Newcastle (Knockout Playoffs 1st Leg) - Tale of an Englishman
Anthony Gordon has been one of the few bright sparks for Newcastle United in a season that has been a disappointing one, at least domestically. Living up to this reputation, the English winger showcased a fascinating performance in Europe, which helped the Magpies go deeper in the Champions League. Eddie Howe’s men were the favourites to overcome Qarabag’s challenge in the knockout playoffs, but the Azerbaijani side had already raised eyebrows by making it to the knockout stage of the competition for the very first time in their history. Especially at home, the side has been a tough nut to crack, so they were not to be taken lightly.
Hence, the 6-1 victory for Newcastle in the first leg in Baku was more than just a hammering of a minnow.
It was a special evening in Europe for the Toons and the heart of it was Gordon. The winger wasted little time making his mark, giving his side the lead only 122 seconds after kick-off, making it their fastest goal of the competition. The England international added his second of the evening from the spot just past the hour mark and completed his hat-trick stunningly just a minute later, capitalising on a defensive mistake. It was the fastest ever hat-trick scored by an English player. However, it only got better for Gordon as he added a fourth, scoring from the spot for the second time, in first-half stoppage time, becoming only the second player ever to score four in an opening half of a Champions League game.
Atlético Madrid 4-1 Club Brugge (Knockout Playoffs 2nd Leg) - Sorloth’s masterclass
Also coming through the knockout playoffs to reach the Round of 16 stage was Atlético Madrid, who were kicking themselves for not getting more than a point in the 3-3 draw against Club Brugge, despite taking the lead three times in the first leg in Brussels. However, Diego Simeone’s men could not have committed any mistake in their home, where they carry a stellar record of not losing a single Champions League knockout game under their legendary Argentinian coach. The task to maintain that record fell to Norwegian forward Alexander Sorloth, who contributed to a memorable evening at Wanda Metropolitano.
The La Liga giants started the affair on a high tempo and after Jan Oblak had made an important save at the other end, Sorloth began and concluded his mission to give Atletico a deserved 4-1 victory in the second leg. He scored the opener in the 23rd minute by collecting his Slovenian goalkeeper’s long pass, holding off his marker and scoring between his legs, which seemed to surprise Simon Mignolet as it let it trickle under his grasp. Sorloth added two more at the end, finishing from close range from a deflected Ademola Lookman cutback and then completing his treble by volleying in the settler and sending Atlético on their way.
Real Madrid 3-0 Manchester City (Round of 16 1st Leg) - Valverde sinks Guardiola’s men
For all the talk that an injury-ravaged Real Madrid, also without their star forward Mbappe, would struggle against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, as in the League Phase encounter earlier this season, was thrown into dust by another mighty Los Blancos performance on the Champions League stage. It wouldn’t have been possible if Federico Valverde had not stepped in to fill the shoes of their injured stars and also oozed his qualities to stun City in a knockout game at Santiago Bernabeu again. That time, it was the French superstar who grabbed the headline, but the platform belonged solely to the Uruguayan powerhouse this time.
For the first goal, Valverde beat opposition right back O’Riley, who misjudged the long ball played by Thibaut Courtois, with his pace and then rounded off Gianluigi Donnarumma to slot it into an empty net for a stunning opener. Even before the visitors recovered from the shock, he was there to ripple the net again, drilling in a low shot past the Italian stopper from Vinicius Jr’s pass. The Madrid captain reserved the best for his final goal as he received the pass from Brahim Diaz, then lobbed it over City defender Marc Guehi and volleyed in from close range to complete a spectacular first-half hat-trick. He became the first player to achieve the feat for a Spanish side since a certain Lionel Messi, which speaks for itself.
