Who is the Youngest Player to Score a Hat-Trick in the FIFA World Cup?
Key Takeaways
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Pele scored a hat-trick against France at just 17 years and 244 days old on 24 June 1958, and no player has come close to breaking this record even after 65+ years of football.
In the 2026 World Cup, the record of a hat-trick is still made; Lionel Messi made this record by becoming the oldest hat-trick scorer ever (38 years, 357 days vs Algeria), but the youngest record still belongs to Pele.
In a single match of the FIFA World Cup 1958 final, three World Cup records were set. Pele's 1958 tournament wasn't just about the hat-trick. The same World Cup also made him the youngest player to ever play, the youngest goal scorer, and the youngest player to score in a final.
As per the Guinness World Records, Pele, whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup.
The Brazilian forward scored three goals against France on 24 June 1958, when he was only 17 years and 244 days old.
This record has stood for more than 65 years, and it is still unbroken today, even after the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Quick Facts
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Detail
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Information
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Name
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Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)
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Country
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Brazil
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Age at hat-trick
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17 years, 244 days
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Opponent
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France
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Match
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1958 FIFA World Cup semi-final
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Score
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Brazil 5-2 France
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Venue
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Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden
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Date
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24 June 1958
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Goal minutes
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52', 64', 75'
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Source
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Guinness World Records, FIFA, ESPN
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FIFA World Cup Final on 24 June 1958
Brazil was playing France in the semi-final of the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden. The match was being held at Råsunda Stadium in Solna. Pelé was only 17 years old at that time, but he had already shown his talent earlier in the tournament by scoring the winning goal against Wales in the quarter-final.
In the semi-final against France, Brazil was leading 2-1 at half time. Then Pele took over the game completely. He scored three goals, all in the second half, in the 52nd, 64th and 75th minutes. Brazil won the match 5-2 and moved into the final, where they went on to win their first ever World Cup title against host nation Sweden.
This hat-trick made Pelé the youngest player ever to score three goals in a single FIFA World Cup match. He achieved this feat at just 17 years and 244 days old.
Source: wikimedia
Why Pele's Record is So Special?
According to Guinness World Records, Pele's hat-trick was one of the few in World Cup history to be scored completely in the second half of a match. It was also the 23rd hat-trick in World Cup history up to that point. No Brazilian player has scored a hat-trick in a World Cup match since Pelé did it in 1958, and no other player has ever scored three goals in a single game against France.
What makes this record even more amazing is how long it has lasted. Football has changed a lot since 1958. Players today train harder, eat better diets, and get expert coaching from a young age. Many young stars have come close to breaking Pelé's records, but his youngest hat-trick mark has never been touched.
Does the record of a hat-trick still stand at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes, the record of a hat-trick still stands at the 2026 World Cup. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being played right now across the USA, Canada and Mexico. On 16 June 2026, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria.
The hat-trick which was made by Messi in the FIFA World Cup 2026 made him the oldest player ever to score three goals in a World Cup match, at 38 years and 357 days old.
He broke the old record of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was 33 years and 130 days old when he scored his hat-trick against Spain at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
So, the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup has been broken by Messi in the FIFA World Cup 2026, but the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup is still held by Pele.
As of today, no teenager at the 2026 World Cup has managed to score three goals in a single match.
Youngest vs Oldest World Cup Hat-Trick Scorers
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Rank
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Player
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Country
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Age
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Year
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Opponent
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Youngest
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Pele
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Brazil
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17 years, 244 days
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1958
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France
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Oldest
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Lionel Messi
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Argentina
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38 years, 357 days
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2026
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Algeria
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2nd Oldest
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Cristiano Ronaldo
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Portugal
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33 years, 130 days
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2018
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Spain
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What are the others' records of the Pele’s in the FIFA World Cup Records in 1958?
Pelé did not stop at just the hat-trick. During the same 1958 World Cup, he also set other records that are still talked about today.
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He became the youngest player to ever play in a World Cup match.
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He became the youngest player to score a goal in a World Cup match, against Wales in the quarter-final.
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He became the youngest player to score in a World Cup final, when he scored two goals against Sweden in the final.
These records show just how special Pelé's first World Cup truly was. He was still a teenager, yet he played like one of the greatest footballers the world had ever seen.