List of Scotland national football team hat-tricks

A head and upper shoulders shot of a statue of a footballer
Denis Law, who scored three hat tricks for Scotland, pictured here in a statue outside Old Trafford.

Since Scotland's first international association football match on 30 November 1872,[1] 29 players have scored three goals (a hat-trick) or more in a game. The first player to do so was John McDougall,[2][3] in a match against England on 2 May 1878.[1] The most goals scored by a single player in a match is four, which has occurred on eleven occasions, although some sources credit Hughie Gallacher with a fifth goal in the 1929 British Home Championship match against Ireland on 23 February 1929.[4][5] Denis Law is the only player to have scored four goals in a single match more than once. Robert Smyth McColl, Law and Gallacher are tied for the most number of hat-tricks for Scotland's international team, with three hat-tricks each.

The last player to score a hat-trick for Scotland was Steven Fletcher, in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Gibraltar on 29 March 2015.[6] This ended a long wait, as the previous hat-trick was registered when Colin Stein scored four goals in the 8–0 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Cyprus on 17 May 1969.[6][7]

Scotland have conceded seven hat-tricks in total, with the first one scored on 2 April 1955 by Dennis Wilshaw in a 1955 British Home Championship match against England.[8] Scotland had not conceded a hat-trick for the first 83 years of international matches, a total of 244 matches.[a] Nico Claesen of Belgium was the first player from outside the Home Nations to score a hat-trick against Scotland, in the UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying match on 1 April 1987.[9] Scotland had only conceded four hat-tricks until the 2003–04 season when hat-tricks were scored against them in two successive matches, first by Ruud van Nistelrooy in a UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying playoff match against the Netherlands, and then by Robert Earnshaw in a friendly against Wales.[10]

Hat-tricks for Scotland

Key
More than a hat-trick scored *
Table

Wartime internationals, not regarded as official matches, are not included in the list. The result is presented with Scotland's score first.

Date Goals Player Opponent Venue Competition Result Ref[a]
2 March 1878
3
 McDougall, JohnJohn McDougall England England Hampden Park, Glasgow Friendly
7–2
 [1]
13 March 1880
3
 Ker, GeorgeGeorge Ker England England Hampden Park, Glasgow Friendly
5–4
 [1]
12 March 1881
3
 Smith, JohnJohn Smith England England Kennington Oval, London Friendly
6–1
 [11]
14 March 1885
3
 Higgins, AlexAlex Higgins Ireland Ireland Hampden Park, Glasgow 1885 British Home Championship
8–2
 [11]
23 March 1885
3
 Lindsay, JosephJoseph Lindsay Wales Wales Acton Park, Wrexham 1885 British Home Championship
8–1
 [11]
20 March 1886
3
 Heggie, CharlesCharles Heggie Ireland Ireland Ulster Ground, Belfast 1886 British Home Championship
7–2
 [11]
24 March 1888
4*
 Dickson, WilliamWilliam Dickson Ireland Ireland Solitude Ground, Belfast 1888 British Home Championship
10–2
 [11]
9 March 1889
3
 Groves, WillieWillie Groves Ireland Ireland Ibrox Park, Glasgow 1889 British Home Championship
7–0
 [11]
22 March 1890
4*
 Paul, WilliamWilliam Paul Wales Wales Underwood Park, Paisley 1890 British Home Championship
5–0
 [11]
18 March 1893
3
 Barker, JohnJohn Barker Wales Wales Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 1893 British Home Championship
8–0
 [12]
18 March 1893
4*
 Madden, JakeJake Madden Wales Wales Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 1893 British Home Championship
8–0
 [12]
19 March 1898
3
 Gillespie, JamesJames Gillespie Wales Wales Fir Park, Motherwell 1898 British Home Championship
5–2
 [12]
18 March 1899
3
 McColl, Robert SmythRobert Smyth McColl Wales Wales Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 1899 British Home Championship
6–0
 [12]
25 March 1899
3
 McColl, Robert SmythRobert Smyth McColl Ireland Ireland Celtic Park, Glasgow 1899 British Home Championship
9–1
 [12]
7 April 1899
3
 McColl, Robert SmythRobert Smyth McColl England England Celtic Park, Glasgow 1900 British Home Championship
4–1
 [12]
23 February 1901
4*
 McMahon, SandySandy McMahon Ireland Ireland Celtic Park, Glasgow 1901 British Home Championship
11–0
 [13]
23 February 1901
4*
 Hamilton, RobertRobert Hamilton Ireland Ireland Celtic Park, Glasgow 1901 British Home Championship
11–0
 [13]
1 March 1902
3
 Hamilton, RobertRobert Hamilton Ireland Ireland Grosvenor Park, Belfast 1902 British Home Championship
5–1
 [13]
15 March 1902
3
 Smith, AlexAlex Smith Wales Wales Cappielow Park, Greenock 1902 British Home Championship
5–1
 [13]
14 March 1908
4*
 Quinn, JimmyJimmy Quinn Ireland Ireland Dalymount Park, Dublin 1908 British Home Championship
5–0
 [13]
27 February 1926
3
 Gallacher, HughieHughie Gallacher Ireland Ireland Ibrox Park, Glasgow 1926 British Home Championship
4–0
 [4]
27 February 1928
3
 Jackson, AlexAlex Jackson England England Wembley Stadium, London 1928 British Home Championship
5–1
 [4]
27 October 1928
3
 Gallacher, HughieHughie Gallacher Wales Wales Ibrox Park, Glasgow 1928 British Home Championship
4–2
 [4]
23 February 1929
4*
 Gallacher, HughieHughie Gallacher[b] Ireland Ireland Windsor Park, Belfast 1929 British Home Championship
7–3
 [4]
26 May 1929
3
 Cheyne, AlecAlec Cheyne Norway Norway Brann Stadion, Bergen Friendly
7–3
 [4]
26 May 1932
3
 Dewar, NeilNeil Dewar France France Stade Olympique, Colombes Friendly
3–1
 [14]
1 October 1949
3
 Morris, HenryHenry Morris Ireland Ireland Windsor Park, Belfast 1950 British Home Championship /
1950 FIFA World Cup qualifying
8–2
 [15]
1 November 1950
4*
 Steel, BillyBilly Steel Ireland Ireland Hampden Park, Glasgow 1951 British Home Championship
6–2
 [15]
20 May 1951
3
 Hamilton, GeorgeGeorge Hamilton Belgium Belgium Stade Heysel, Brussels Friendly
5–0
 [8]
30 April 1952
3
 Reilly, LawrieLawrie Reilly United States United States Hampden Park, Glasgow Friendly
6–0
 [8]
8 May 1957
3
 Mudie, JackieJackie Mudie Spain Spain Hampden Park, Glasgow 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification
4–2
 [16]
7 October 1961
3
 Scott, AlexAlex Scott Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Windsor Park, Belfast 1962 British Home Championship
6–1
 [17]
7 November 1962
4*
 Law, DenisDenis Law Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Windsor Park, Belfast 1963 British Home Championship
5–1
 [17]
4 June 1963
3
 Law, DenisDenis Law[c] Norway Norway Brann Stadion, Bergen Friendly
3–4
 [17]
7 November 1963
4*
 Law, DenisDenis Law Norway Norway Hampden Park, Glasgow Friendly
6–1
 [17]
17 May 1969
4*
 Stein, ColinColin Stein Cyprus Cyprus Hampden Park, Glasgow 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifying
8–0
 [7]
29 March 2015
3
 Fletcher, StevenSteven Fletcher Gibraltar Gibraltar Hampden Park, Glasgow UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier
6–1
 [6]

Hat-tricks conceded by Scotland

Wartime internationals, not regarded as official matches, are not included in the list. The result is presented with Scotland's score first.

Scotland have conceded seven hat-tricks, four of which have been scored by players from the Home Nations.

Date Goals Player Opponent Venue Competition Result Ref[a]
2 April 1955
4*
 Wilshaw, DennisDennis Wilshaw England England Wembley Stadium, London 1955 British Home Championship
2–7
 [8]
15 April 1961
3
 Greaves, JimmyJimmy Greaves England England Wembley Stadium, London 1961 British Home Championship
3–9
 [17]
19 May 1979
3
 Toshack, JohnJohn Toshack Wales Wales Ninian Park, Cardiff 1979 British Home Championship
0–3
 [18]
1 April 1987
3
 Claesen, NicoNico Claesen Belgium Belgium Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying
1–4
 [9]
19 November 2003
3
 NistelrooyRuud van Nistelrooy Netherlands Netherlands Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying playoff
0–6
 [10]
18 February 2004
3
 Earnshaw, RobertRobert Earnshaw Wales Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Friendly match
0–4
 [10]
27 May 2012
3
 Donovan, LandonLandon Donovan United States United States EverBank Field, Jacksonville Friendly match
1–5
 [19]

Notes

a A full list of Scotland results for 1872–1880, 1881–1890, 1891–1900, 1901–1910, 1911–1920, 1921–1930, 1931–1939, 1946–1950, 1951–1955, 1956–1960, 1961–1965, 1966–1970, 1971–1975, 1976–1980, 1981–1985, 1986–1990, 1991–1995, 1996–2001, 2002–2005, 2006–2010, 2011 are listed on the RSSSF website. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
b Hughie Gallacher is credited with Scotland's sixth goal in some sources.[4][5]
c This is Scotland's only hat-trick in a game that they lost.

References

Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Scotland – International Matches 1872–1880 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  2. ↑ Murray, Scott (11 February 2011). "The Joy of Six: Great comebacks". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "John McDougall – A Squad". The Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Scotland – International Matches 1921–1930 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Snap Facts". The Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lamont, Alasdair (29 March 2015). "Scotland 6–1 Gibraltar". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Scotland – International Matches 1966–1970 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Scotland – International Matches 1951–1955 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Scotland – International Matches 1986–1990 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Scotland – International Matches 2002–2005 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 "Scotland – International Matches 1881–1890 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 "Scotland – International Matches 1891–1900 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 "Scotland – International Matches 1901–1910 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  14. ↑ "Scotland – International Matches 1931–1939 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Scotland – International Matches 1946–1950 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  16. ↑ "Scotland – International Matches 1956–1960 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 "Scotland – International Matches 1961–1965 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  18. ↑ "Scotland – International Matches 1976–1980 – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  19. ↑ "USA cruise to comfortable win over Scotland in Jacksonville". BBC Sport. 27 May 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
General