We’ve all heard of a hat-trick in soccer, but what is it called when you score more than three goals in the same match?
Are there nicknames for other goalscoring milestones? Let’s find out.
Are there nicknames for the number of goals scored in soccer?
Yes, nicknames are given when a specific number of goals are scored by a player in a specific match. The names are as follows:
2 = brace
3 = hat-trick
4 = haul
5 = glut
6 = double-hat-trick
The most well-known nickname given is a hat-trick, and it is usually something only achieved once in a while by forward players. Still, it’s certainly possible to score more than three goals in a game, as we explain below!
Where do goal nicknames come from?
Soccer is not the only sport in the world where nicknames are given for particular scoring achievements. In other words, some terms in soccer are borrowed from other sports, which is the case when goal nicknames are considered.
The earliest use of the term ‘hat-trick,’ for instance, can be traced back to 1858. When H.H. Stephenson took three wickets in three consecutive deliveries in cricket, the fans held a collection in the stand.
With the money, they bought him a hat, which is how the term was initially coined. It wasn’t until seven years later, in 1865, that the term first appeared in print.
The Chelmsford Chronicle in England ran a story about sports and used the term hat-trick for the very first known time. Thereafter, the term was used in many sports, including hockey, rugby, and soccer.
As for the other terms, they don’t have such a colorful back story and have been introduced to the game of soccer throughout the years at different times.
What are four goals called in soccer?
While lots of people are familiar with the term ‘hat-trick,’ the term ‘haul’ is far less commonly known. When someone scores four goals in the same soccer match, they are said to have completed a goalscoring haul.
Again, it’s not overly clear where the term comes from, but it is the term that has stuck over the years. In Spanish, a four-goal haul is sometimes referred to as poker, but this is less commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Have any players scored 4+ goals in a pro soccer match?
Although it doesn’t happen very often, there have been multiple occasions in recent times where players have scored more than four goals in a soccer match. Below are some memorable games where high-profile players have bagged a haul or more in the same Premier League match:
| Player | Goals | Match |
| Andrew Cole | 5 | Manchester United 9-0 Ipswich Town, March 1995 |
| Alan Shearer | 5 | Newcastle United 8-0 Sheffield United, September 1999 |
| Jermain Defoe | 5 | Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan Athletic, November 2009 |
| Dimitar Berbatov | 5 | Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn Rovers, November 2010 |
| Sergio Aguero | 5 | Manchester City 6-1 Newcastle United, October 2015 |
Players to have scored four or more in the same EPL game include Robbie Fowler, Luca Vialli, Jurgen Klinsmann, Michael Owen, Harry Kane, and Mo Salah. In total, 28 EPL players have achieved this milestone.
The verdict: Goalscoring nicknames
While hat tricks occur in soccer now and again, it’s much rarer to watch or play in a game where someone scores four or more goals!
However, if you see someone score four goals, you can now congratulate them on scoring ‘a a haul’ and consign them to legendary status in the league!