Raheem Sterling joins select group of British Champions League hat-trick scorers
Raheem Sterling joined a select group of British Champions League hat-trick scorers when he scored three goals against Atalanta at the Etihad Stadium. City came from 1-0 down to romp to a 5-1 win over the Italian side, with Sterling putting in a standout performance. In honour of the England star’s achievement, we’ve taken a look at every hat-trick scored by a British player in the Champions League since the competition was formed in 1992.
Mike Newell: Blackburn 4-1 Rosenborg
Blackburn’s Mike Newell became the first British player to score a Champions League hat-trick when he scored three of Rovers’ four goals in their 4-1 win over Norwegian side Rosenborg in December 1995. Newell’s perfect hat-trick (right-foot goal, left-foot goal and headed goal) was scored in just nine minutes.
Andrew Cole: Feyenoord 1-3 Manchester United
In November 1997, Manchester United beat Feyenoord 3-1 in Rotterdam with striker Andrew Cole getting all three goals.
Andrew Cole: Manchester United 5-1 Anderlecht
It took three years for another hat-trick by a British player in the Champions League and it was Andrew Cole who scored it again. This time, he scored three of United’s five goals as they beat Anderlecht 5-1 in September 2000.
Michael Owen: Spartak Moscow 1-3 Liverpool
Liverpool’s Michael Owen was the next Brit to bag three goals in one Champions League game. He scored all three for the Reds as they came from 1-0 down to beat Spartak Moscow 3-1 in Russia.
Alan Shearer: Newcastle United 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Back in the days when the Champions League had a second group phase, Alan Shearer scored all three goals as Newcastle earned three points against Bayer Leverkusen at St James’ Park.
Wayne Rooney: Manchester United 6-2 Fenerbahce
Not a bad way to make a debut! Wayne Rooney, still a teenager at the time, announced himself at Manchester United by scoring three goals in a 6-2 home win over Fenerbahce in 2004.
Michael Owen: Manchester United 3-1 Wolfsburg
It took over five years for another British player to bag a Champions League hat-trick and for the second time in his career, it was Michael Owen who got it. This time, he was playing for Manchester United and he got all three goals in a 3-1 Group Stage win away to Wolfsburg.
Gareth Bale: Inter Milan 4-3 Tottenham
Gareth Bale holds the honour of being the only Welshman to be included on this list. However, he also holds the unwanted record of being the only British player to score a hat-trick in a Champions League game that his side lost. Back in 2010, Tottenham trailed Inter Milan 4-0 in the San Siro but Bale scored three goals as Spurs tried to mount a comeback, one that ultimately came up a bit short.
Danny Welbeck: Arsenal 4-1 Galatasaray
Five years after Bale’s hat-trick in Italy, Danny Welbeck got three of Arsenal’s four goals in a Group Stage win over Galatasaray at the Emirates in October 2014,
Harry Kane: APOEL Nicosia 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham striker Harry Kane scored all three goals as Spurs defeated APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus in a Group Stage clash back in 2017.
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