The footballer with the most career hat-tricks in history is Erwin Helmchen , who scored at least 141 hat-tricks in official matches during his career from 1924 to 1951. This is the highest recorded number overall
. Among widely recognized modern players, Pelé holds the Guinness World Record for the most hat-tricks with 92 throughout his career
. For active players, Cristiano Ronaldo leads with 66 career hat-tricks as of 2024, making him the player with the most hat-tricks in the 21st century and the most among current players. He also holds the record for the most international hat-tricks by a male player, with 10 for Portugal
. Lionel Messi follows closely with 59 career hat-tricks, including 10 international hat-tricks for Argentina
Summary:
- Most career hat-tricks overall: Erwin Helmchen (141+)
- Guinness World Record holder: Pelé (92)
- Most hat-tricks by an active player: Cristiano Ronaldo (66)
- Second most by an active player: Lionel Messi (59)
These figures include club and international matches combined
