Players who scored hat-tricks for England

Bukayo Saka celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring for England against North Macedonia in June 2023.
Bukayo Saka celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring for England against North Macedonia in June 2023. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The first two players to score hat-tricks for England were Howard Vaughton and Arthur Alfred Brown in February 1882.

Vaughton scored five and Brown hit four as England thrashed Ireland 13-0 in Belfast. Both were Aston Villa players.

Former Wednesday (now Sheffield Wednesday) forward Fred Spiksley was the first player to score two hat-tricks for England, hitting trebles against Wales and Scotland in March and April 1893.

Over 50 others have hit hat-tricks for the Three Lions since. Here, a look at some of the most famous and most prolific treble scorers for England...

Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka celebrates after scoring for England against North Macedonia in June 2023.

Bukayo Saka celebrates after scoring for England against North Macedonia in June 2023. (Image credit: Getty Images)

England thrashed North Macedonia 7-0 in a European Championship qualifier in June 2023 and Bukayo Saka scored three.

The Arsenal attacker netted England's second, fourth and fifth goals at Old Trafford to clinch first international hat-trick. Harry Kane scored twice, with Marcus Rashford and Kalvin Phillips also on target.

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling celebrates after scoring a hat-trick for England against Czech Republic in March 2019.

Raheem Sterling celebrates after scoring a hat-trick for England against Czech Republic in March 2019. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Raheem Sterling scored three goals as England thrashed the Czech Republic 5-0 in a European Championship qualifier in March 2019.

The former Manchester City winger opened the scoring in the 24th minute and scored England's third and fourth goals in the second half of a big win at Wembley for Gareth Southgate's side.

Peter Crouch

Peter Crouch celebrates with the robot dance after scoring for England against Jamaica in June 2006.

Peter Crouch celebrates with the robot dance after scoring for England against Jamaica in June 2006. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Peter Crouch scored a highly respectable 22 goals in 42 games for England between 2005 and 2010 and was often more effective in international football than for his club sides.

In a friendly against Jamaica ahead of the 2006 World Cup, Crouch scored three in a 6-0 win and marked the occasion of his first (and only) England hat-trick by celebrating with his infamous robot dance.

Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes clutches the match ball after scoring a hat-trick for England against Poland in March 1999.

Paul Scholes clutches the match ball after scoring a hat-trick for England against Poland in March 1999. (Image credit: Getty Images)

England beat Poland 3-1 in a European Championship qualifier at Wembley in March 1999 and Paul Scholes scored all three goals for the Three Lions.

It was the first hat-trick by an England player since 1993 and marked Kevin Keegan's first game in charge with a win. Scholes scored 14 goals in 66 games for England, retiring from international football in 2004 to concentrate on his club career.

Ian Wright

Ian Wright carries the ball back to the halfway line after scoring for England against San Marino in a World Cup qualifier in November 1993.

Ian Wright carries the ball back to the halfway line after scoring for England against San Marino in a World Cup qualifier in November 1993. (Image credit: Getty Images)

England needed to beat San Marino by seven clear goals in Bologna in November 1993 to have any chance of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup.

Graham Taylor's side made a disastrous start and found themselves a goal down after eight seconds following a bad mistake by Stuart Pearce. Ian Wright scored four as England went on to win 7-1, but the Three Lions missed out on a place at USA '94 anyway as the Netherlands beat Poland.

Jermain Defoe

Jermain Defoe celebrates after scoring for England against Bulgaria in September 2010.

Jermain Defoe celebrates after scoring for England against Bulgaria in September 2010. (Image credit: Getty Images)

So often a back-up option for England, Jermain Defoe still managed to score a respectable 20 goals for the Three Lions in 57 appearances.

The former Tottenham striker hit one hat-trick for England, netting the first, second and fourth goals in a 4-0 win over Bulgaria in a Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley in September 2010.

Theo Walcott

Theo Walcott celebrates after scoring for England against Croatia in September 2008.

Theo Walcott celebrates after scoring for England against Croatia in September 2008. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Theo Walcott made his England debut ahead of the 2006 World Cup and was picked for the squad which travelled to Germany.

The winger did not feature in the tournament and had to wait until 2008 for further appearances with the Three Lions. After making his first competitive start against Andorra in September, the Arsenal attacker hit three goals in a 4-1 win away to Croatia four days later, becoming the youngest player in England history to score a hat-trick.

Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer celebrates after scoring his third goal for England against Luxembourg in September 1999.

Alan Shearer celebrates after scoring his third goal for England against Luxembourg in September 1999. (Image credit: Getty Images)

One of England's greatest strikers, Alan Shearer scored 30 goals for the Three Lions in 63 games before cutting short his international career to concentrate on club football.

Shearer scored just one hat-trick for England, hitting three goals in a Euro 2000 qualifier against Luxembourg in September 1999 as the Three Lions won 6-0 at Wembley.

Michael Owen

Michael Owen celebrates his second goal for England against Germany in September 2001.

Michael Owen celebrates his second goal for England against Germany in September 2001. (Image credit: Getty Images)

On target to beat Bobby Charlton's record of 49 England goals until he was frozen out by Fabio Capello in 2008, Michael Owen still scored an impressive 40 times in 89 appearances for the Three Lions.

The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United striker hit a memorable hat-trick in England's 5-1 win in Germany in 2001 and added another in a 3-2 victory against Colombia in a friendly in 2005.

Geoff Hurst

Geoff Hurst scores England's controversial third goal against West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.

Geoff Hurst scores England's controversial third goal against West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Geoff Hurst came into the England team at the 1966 World Cup after an injury to Jimmy Greaves and cemented his legend status with a hat-trick – including a controversial second which didn't look to have crossed the line – as the Three Lions beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley.

Hurst's only other England hat-trick came in a 5-0 win over France in a friendly at Wembley in March 1969, with two of those goals coming from the penalty spot.

Stan Mortensen

Stan Mortensen challenges Hungarian goalkeeper Gylmar Grosics in England's 6-3 loss to Hungary at Wembley in November 1953.

Stan Mortensen challenges Hungarian goalkeeper Gylmar Grosics in England's 6-3 loss to Hungary at Wembley in November 1953. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Stan Mortensen played for England between 1947 and 1953 and the legendary former Blackpool centre-forward scored an impressive 23 goals in his 25 international appearances.

Mortensen and team-mate Tommy Lawton scored four apiece as England thrashed Portugal 10-0 in Lisbon in May 1947. Later in the year, Mortensen hit another hat-trick as the Three Lions beat Sweden 4-2 at Highbury and he added another in October 1949 in a 6-2 victory against Ireland in Belfast.

Vivian Woodward

Vivian Woodward, who played football for Tottenham, Chelsea and England, sets off to deliver churns of milk to market in October 1925.

Vivian Woodward, who played football for Tottenham, Chelsea and England, sets off to deliver churns of milk to market in October 1925. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Vivian Woodward scored 29 goals in just 23 games for England and played successfully for Tottenham and Chelsea in the early 1900s.

Woodward scored four hat-tricks for England – against Wales, Austria (twice, including four in one match) and Hungary. An architect by profession, he fought in World War I and later worked as a farmer. Different times.

Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton (right) in action for England against Romania at the 1970 World Cup.

Bobby Charlton (right) in action for England against Romania at the 1970 World Cup. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Bobby Charlton netted 49 times for England and was the Three Lions' all-time top scorer until he was overtaken by Wayne Rooney and later by Harry Kane.

The World Cup-winning midfielder scored four hat-tricks during his England career: against USA in 1959, Luxembourg in 1960, Mexico in 1961 and Switzerland in 1963 (four goals).

Harry Kane

Harry Kane celebrates after scoring for England against Panama at the 2018 World Cup.

Harry Kane celebrates after scoring for England against Panama at the 2018 World Cup. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Harry Kane won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup after scoring six goals as England reached the semi-finals in Russia and three of those came in a 6-1 win over Panama in the group stages.

Kane, who became England's all-time top scorer in 2023, has since hit hat-tricks against Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro and San Marino.

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker celebrates after scoring for England against Poland at the 1986 World Cup.

Gary Lineker celebrates after scoring for England against Poland at the 1986 World Cup. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Gary Lineker scored 48 goals in 80 appearances for England and the former captain won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup.

His six goals included all three in a 3-0 win over Poland. While he was at Barcelona, Lineker memorably scored four in a 4-2 win for England over Spain in Madrid. He also put four past Malaysia in 1991 and hit hat-tricks against Turkey in 1985 and 1987 for five trebles in total.

Jimmy Greaves

Jimmy Greaves scores for England against Northern Ireland in November 1963.

Jimmy Greaves scores for England against Northern Ireland in November 1963. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Considered by many to be England's greatest-ever striker, Jimmy Greaves scored 44 goals in 57 appearances for the Three Lions and hit six hat-tricks for his national team.

Between October 1960 and June 1966, Greaves scored hat-tricks against Luxembourg, Scotland, Peru, Northern Ireland (twice, with four in the first of those games) and Norway (four again) but lost his place in England's World Cup-winning team due to an injury early in the tournament.

Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.