Five players to have scored a hat-trick as substitute in Champions League

Only a total of five players have achieved the feat so far.

The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of club football. Contested by European clubs, it is regarded as the most-prestigious trophy a club can win, considering the level of the competition. 

For a player to score a goal in the competition is a highlight, but to score three is an achievement. However, it is even more difficult to score a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute. In the history of the Champions League, only five players have ever scored three goals from the bench. They are as follows:

5. Uwe Rossler

Back in the 1998/99 season, Kaiserslautern had entered into the UEFA Champions League after a sensational Bundesliga triumph in the previous season. Their group stage success was highlighted by a hat-trick by Uwe Rossler.

The German striker was signed on a free transfer from Manchester City and scored thrice in 52 minutes, after coming on as a substitute against HJK Helsinki. 

4. Joseba Llorente

Joseba Llorente came on as a sub back in 2008 for Villarreal against Aalborg BK. Manuel Pellegrini was the tactician at that point and the Yellow Submarines needed some inspiration, after the teams went into the break level at 2-2.

Llorente came on as a substitute and managed to score three goals in 45 minutes, helping the Spanish outfit to a 6-3 victory.

3. Walter Pandiani

Walter Pandiani is considered one of the most prolific attackers to have come out of Uruguay. He is the third quickest to score a hat-trick (44 minutes) after coming on as a substitute and did so in an incredible encounter against Paris Saint-Germain back in 2001.

After going into the break down by three goals, a second half substitute in Pandiani helped Deportivo La Coruna turn the tables and run away 4-3 winners on the night. 

2. Kylian Mbappe

Paris Saint-Germain’s second-most expensive player ever, Kylian Mbappe has one hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League. He achieved the feat in merely 38 minutes against Club Brugge back on 22 October 2019.

In addition to scoring three goals, Mbappe also assisted Mauro Icardi and helped the French outfit secure a 5-0 victory.

1. Marcus Rashford

Manchester United’s very own Marcus Rashford set several records when the Red Devils demolished RB Leipzig 5-0 in the group stages of the 2020/21 season. By scoring a second half hat-trick as a substitute, Rashford became the fifth player in the competition’s history to do so.

He also became the quickest to achieve the feat, by scoring a three goals within 27 minutes, 11 better than the 38 minutes Mbappe took to score his. Rashford also became only the second Manchester United player ever to score a hat-trick from the bench and also the youngest to reach 15 European goals for the club.

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