Top 10 Premier League Hat-tricks scored by African players
A few number of African players have had a haul in the Premier League but quite a number have netted thrice in a single game. At least there have been 21 African players with such record.
We have decided to pick 10 of the best from the many list of African players who have scored three goals or more since the inception of the English Premier League in 1992.
There are three Nigerian players on this list; one Ivorian, one Senegalese, one Ghanaian, one Togolese, one Zimbabwean, one Cameroonian and one Egyptian.
By country there have been five different hat-trick scorers from Ivory Coast; four from Nigeria; three from Senegal, two from Cameroon, Zimbabwe. One each from DR Congo, Ghana, Togo, Algeria and Egypt.
It was tough selecting just 10 names from the list but we have tried as much as possible to pick the best out of the lot.
So, here are sportsration Top 10 Premier League Hat-tricks scored by African players
10. Benjani Mwaruwari (Portsmouth)
He was not the first Zimbabwean to score a hat-trick in the Premier League, before him was Peter Ndlovu who was in fact the second African player to ever scored a hat-trick when he did in Coventry City’s 3-2 win at Liverpool on March 14th, 1995.
But Benjani Mwaruwari pipped his compatriot to a spot because he scored a hat-trick on two different occasions. He scored three goals in Portsmouth’s 7-4 win against Reading and 3-1 win against Derby County on the 29th of September 2007 and 19th of January 2008 respectively.
9. Efan Ekoku (Norwich City)
It would be difficult making this list without the first ever person to ever do it. Nigeria’s Efan Ekoku had a four goal haul in Norwich City’s 5-1 win at Everton in 1993.
Efan Ekuku who was part of Nigeria’s AFCON 1994 winning squad scored the first four goals for Norwich in their big away win back on the 25th of September in 1993.
8. Mo Salah (Liverpool)
The Egyptian King as he is fondly called by Liverpool fans is the latest African on the list, he has done it twice in Liverpool’s shirt. In Liverpool’s 5-0 win against Watford and 4-0 win at Bournemouth all in 2018.
7. Tony Yeboah (Leeds United)
The only Ghanaian to ever did it and in fact, he did it twice while playing for the great Leeds United side. Yeboah netted three goals in Leeds United’s 4-0 win against Ipswich Town and 4-2 win against Wimbledon in 1995.
6. Samuel Eto’o (Chelsea)
Samuel Eto’o became the only Chelsea player to have ever scored a hat-trick against Manchester United when he netted thrice in the Blues 3-1 win against the Reds in 2014.
In fact, he is just the fourth player to have ever netted three times in a game against Manchester United after the likes of David Bentley, Dirk Kuyt and Romelu Lukaku.
Samuel Eto’o goals sealed Jose Mourinho’s career 100th win in the Premier League.
5. Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal)
There would always be a spot for a striker who scored three goals in a match on three different occasions.
Before Emmanuel Seyi Adebayor fell out with Arsenal faithfuls due to his historic goal celebration, he was a cult hero amongst the Gunners.
Emmanuel Adebayor scored three goals in Arsenal’s 5-0 win against Derby County on 28th of April 2008; in Arsenal’s 6-2, 4-0 away wins against Derby County and Blackburn Rovers in 2008.
4. Saido Mane (Southampton)
Before Saido Mane were Henri Camara and Demba Ba who netted three goals against Blackburn and Stoke in 2011 during his time at Newcastle but we opted for the Reigning African player of the year.
Surprisingly, Saido Mane is yet to score three goals in the Premier League in Liverpool colours despite winning the golden boot award with the Reds.
He may have not achieve this feat yet with Liverpool but he did with his previous club, Southampton on two occasions and currently holds the record for the quickest Premier League hat-trick netting three times for the Saints against Aston Villa in 2 minutes 56 seconds in 2015.
He also scored three goals against Manchester City in 2016.
3. Kanu Nwankwo (Arsenal)
It is more than two decades since he netted thrice for Arsenal against Chelsea but the Gunners still celebrate his feat while the Blues still remember the day.
Kanu Nwankwo helped Arsenal complete a 3-2 comeback win against their London rivals Chelsea in 1999. Chelsea were smiling home with the win having gone two goals up but Kanu came to the rescue his third goal was as classy as the word classy.
2. Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
Didier Drogba was the first Ivorian to do it, others who also netted thrice in a game are Salomon Kalou; Yaya Toure, Arouna Dindane and Arouna Koné.
The Chelsea legend netted thrice in one premier League game on three occasions, once in 2006 and twice in 2010 helping Chelsea to the title in those years.
1. Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Portsmouth, Everton and Blackburn)
Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn fans didn’t chant ‘feed the Yak’ for no reason. Yakubu deservedly tops our list.
Only five players have each scored hat-tricks for three different clubs: Yakubu (Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Portsmouth); Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City); Kevin Campbell (Arsenal, Everton and Nottingham Forest); Les Ferdinand (Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur) and Teddy Sheringham (Manchester United, Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur).
He is the only African on the above list.
He is also the only African to have scored three goals or more on four different occasions.
