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Netting a goal in a Champions League fixture is a fine accomplishment for any footballer—certainly a story worth passing down through generations—but it's hardly an uncommon feat. Thousands of players have found the back of the net in Europe's most prestigious club tournament over the decades.
A hat-trick? Now that's more like it. Far more impressive and considerably rarer, yet still achieved by well over a hundred players—including the likes of Yossi Benayoun, Faustino Asprilla, and Kostas Mitroglou (ring any bells, Fulham supporters?).
But five goals in a single match? That's an entirely different matter. That's membership in an ultra-exclusive group—one with only a select few members throughout Champions League history.
Here's every one of them.
Lionel Messi vs. Bayer Leverkusen (2012)
Barcelona's 2011–12 Champions League run would ultimately conclude in agony—Fernando Torres rounding Víctor Valdés as Gary Neville lost all composure—but before that fateful moment, its standout performer delivered yet another mesmerizing European display, one that reached its pinnacle in the first knockout round.
Lionel Messi had already made his mark in a 3–1 first-leg victory over Bayer Leverkusen, but it was at Camp Nou where the record books were rewritten. The Argentine became the first player in history to score five goals in a single Champions League game, tearing the German outfit apart almost entirely on his own.
Two of his strikes were delicate chips over Bernd Leno, the second cheekily dispatched with his supposedly weaker right foot. Two others were clinical finishes from close range, while his fourth came from a goalkeeping blunder he was more than happy to capitalize on.
Luiz Adriano vs. BATE Borisov (2014)
Luiz Adriano is likely still considered public enemy number one in Borisov following his remarkable exploits against BATE during the 2014–15 Champions League group stage.
The Brazilian bagged five goals in Belarus—two from the penalty spot and three straightforward tap-ins—but that was sufficient to earn him a spot alongside Messi in the five-goal club. Just a fortnight later, he added another hat-trick as Shakhtar Donetsk piled on more misery for their Belarusian opponents, bringing his combined tally to eight goals across two matches.
Those dominant victories helped Shakhtar progress to the round of 16, where reality came crashing down hard. The Ukrainian club were hammered 7–0 by Bayern Munich in the second leg at the Allianz Arena, a brutal reminder of the jump in quality.
Erling Haaland vs. RB Leipzig (2023)
Erling Haaland's relentless hunger for goals has been evident throughout his professional career—never more breathtaking than his outing against RB Leipzig for Manchester City in the 2022–23 Champions League.
City's round of 16 tie was delicately balanced until Haaland decided to seize control. He wrapped up a predator's hat-trick just before the interval in the second leg, then added two further goals before the hour mark, leaving Leipzig in disarray.
Pep Guardiola, perhaps wary that an all-time record was about to be broken, eventually intervened and withdrew the Norwegian before he could etch his name even deeper into Champions League folklore.
Manchester City, naturally, went on to claim the competition for the first time in the club's history, with Haaland finishing as the tournament's leading scorer on 12 goals.
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Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has contributed to The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of sitting down with some of the biggest names in global sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and many more.