What Is 3 Goals in Soccer Called? (And 2, 4, 5+ Explained)

July 01 2026, by Adam Zawati, 4 min reading time

Three goals scored by one player in a single match is called a hat trick -- one of soccer's most famous terms. Here's where it comes from, and what two, four, and five-plus goals are called too.

Short answer: Three goals scored by a single player in one match is called a hat trick. It's one of the most celebrated individual achievements in soccer — rare enough that when a player scores their third, they traditionally get to keep the match ball. But three isn't the only number with a name. Two goals is a brace, four goals has its own term, and five or more enters truly historic territory. Here's the full scoring vocabulary.

Why three goals is called a hat trick

The term "hat trick" doesn't come from soccer at all — it comes from cricket. In the 1850s, a bowler who took three wickets with three consecutive deliveries was rewarded with a new hat, paid for by the club or through a collection among fans. The phrase stuck, crossed into other sports, and became soccer's standard word for three goals by one player in a single game.

Today the hat trick is a milestone every striker chases. It doesn't require three consecutive goals the way the original cricket version did — any three goals in the same match by the same player counts. And the tradition of the scorer keeping the match ball, often signed by teammates, lives on.

There are also informal variations fans love to argue about:

A "perfect hat trick" is three goals scored with the left foot, the right foot, and the head — one of each.
A "flawless" or "natural" hat trick is three goals in a row, with no other player scoring in between — the closest modern echo of the original cricket meaning.

What is 2 goals in soccer called?

Two goals by one player in a match is called a brace. It's a common term in match reports and commentary — you'll hear "he scored a brace" far more often than "he scored twice." The word comes from an old usage meaning "a pair," the same root as a brace of birds in hunting. Unlike a hat trick, a brace carries no ball-keeping tradition; it's simply the standard shorthand for two.

What is 4 goals in soccer called?

Four goals by a single player is rarer than a hat trick and has its own name — and it's a question fans ask constantly once they know what three is called. We've covered the full answer, including the competing terms used around the world, in a dedicated guide: what is 4 goals in soccer called.

What is 5 or more goals called?

Five goals by one player in a single match is sometimes called a glut or, informally, a "manita" (Spanish for "little hand," referencing the five fingers) — though the manita more often refers to a 5–0 team scoreline. There's no single universally fixed term, precisely because it's so rare at the top level. Scoring five in one professional match is a genuinely historic feat, achieved only a handful of times by the game's greatest goalscorers.

For the players who've reached these heights, see who holds the records: who has the most goals in soccer, and who scored the most goals in a single soccer game.

The full soccer scoring-terms table

Goals by one player	Name
1	A goal (no special term)
2	Brace
3	Hat trick
4	See our dedicated guide
5+	Glut / manita (informal, rare)

Frequently asked questions

Why do you keep the ball after a hat trick?
The tradition traces back to the cricket origin, where three wickets earned a new hat. In soccer it evolved into the scorer keeping the match ball, usually signed by teammates as a memento of the achievement.

Does a hat trick have to be three goals in a row?
No. Any three goals by the same player in the same match count as a hat trick. Three consecutive goals with no one else scoring in between is specifically called a "perfect" or "natural" hat trick.

What is a perfect hat trick?
Three goals in one match scored one with the left foot, one with the right foot, and one with the head.

Is a brace two goals?
Yes. A brace is the standard term for two goals scored by one player in a single match.

Whether you're chasing your first hat trick or coaching the players who will, it starts with a proper goal to shoot at. Explore Vallerta's full-size and regulation soccer goals.