Everyone expected Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski to make an impact when he came on as a half-time substitute with the score reading 1-0 in favour of away side Wolfsburg. Nobody expected him to score five goals – in nine minutes – after coming off the bench. Not even coach Pep Guardiola.
The Polish striker was on the field for less than six minutes before he equalized for the Bavarian giants. He would then go on to score four more goals as Bayern Munich thrashed Wolfsburg 5-1 to top the Bundesliga table.
Here are a few records and milestones set by Lewandowski, confirmed by UEFA. You can watch all goals here: Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores five goals in nine minutes - as a substitute
Fastest hat-trick in Bundesliga history
Lewandowski’s first goal was scored at the 50:40 mark. His third goal came at the 54:02 mark – 3 minutes and 22 seconds is all he took to score a hat-trick. It might have been quicker had they cut their goal celebrations short.
The last player to hold the record was Michael Tonnies who took six minutes to score a hat-trick when his Duisburg side played Karlsruher who had a certain Oliver Kahn in goal. Tonnies was quick to congratulate the Bayern frontman on Twitter too, telling him that he ‘deserved’ it!
Fastest four goals (and five goals) scored in a match
Lewandowski’s fourth goal from a Douglas Costa assist came at the 56:22 mark. That means it took him 5 minutes and 42 seconds to score four goals in a game. And considering he scored the fifth goal a couple of minutes later, that he became the fastest to score five goals in a match as well.
First substitute to score five goals in Bundesliga history
We have seen and heard of substitutes coming on and changing the game, but nobody has ever scored five goals after coming on in a Bundesliga match. Ever! It’s been 24 years since a player scored five goals, let alone a substitute.
If Wolfsburg had not prevented another Lewandowski shot from going over the goal line, he would have equaled Dieter Muller's long-standing record of six goals in a Bundesliga match. That record was set way back in 1977 when FC Koln's beat Werder Bremen 7–2. Muller had scored in the 12th, 23rd, 32nd, 52nd, 73rd and in the 85th minute – much unlike Lewandowski who scored five in nine minutes.
Lewandowski’s first hat-trick for Bayern Munich
This was also Lewandowski’s first hat-trick in Bayern colours. Many still remember the last time he scored for fun in one game – it was in the 2013 Champions League. But back then he was in the yellow and black kit of Borussia Dortmund. The German side swept aside Real Madrid 4-1 in the first leg of the semi-finals, on their way to an aggregate win that took them to Wembley for the final.
Lewandowski had scored all four goals in that game for Dortmund.
