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Lionel Messi's La Liga hat-trick for Barcelona against Celta Vigo on the 12th matchday of the 2019-20 season was a landmark one as he drew level with Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most three-goal hauls (34) in the history of the Spanish top-flight.
The duo of Messi and Ronaldo also share the UEFA Champions League record for most hat-tricks by a player with the tally currently at eight.
With over 600 goals each for club and country, Messi and Ronaldo are two of five active players with most career hat-tricks. Let us find out where does the duo rank for most hat-tricks by an active player and who else makes up the top five.
#5 Sergio Aguero (17)
Sergio Aguero has scored 17 hat-tricks for club and country. Aguero holds the joint-record with Alan Shearer for most Premier League hat-tricks at 11, all of which he has scored for Manchester City.
The Argentina international has also scored three hat-tricks for the Manchester club in the UEFA Champions League, one in the FA Cup as well as single hat-trick in La Liga for Atletico Madrid.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup runner-up has one hat-trick for his national team, Argentina.
#4 Robert Lewandowski (19)
Robert Lewandowski has 19 hat-tricks for club and country. The prolific Pole has scored nine hat-tricks for Bayern Munich, four for Borussia Dortmund, and six hat-tricks for his national team Poland.
Lewandowski holds the record for most goals scored by a substitute in the Bundesliga when he netted five goals in the space of nine minutes against Wolfsburg in the 2015-16 season. He is also the only player in UEFA Champions League history to score four goals in a semi-final when he dismantled Real Madrid on Borussia Dortmund's route to the final in the 2012-13 season.
#3 Luis Suarez (29)
Luis Suarez has scored 29 hat-tricks for club and country. Suarez has scored nine hat-tricks for Ajax, which includes a stunning six-goal haul in a 2009-10 Dutch Cup game against WHC Wezep, six hat-tricks for Liverpool, and 12 hat-tricks for Barcelona.
The Uruguayan international's 10 La Liga hat-tricks for Barcelona is the most by any active player in the league, behind joint-record-holders Lionel Messi. Suarez has also scored two hat-tricks for Uruguay.
#2 Lionel Messi (52)
Lionel Messi drew level with Cristiano Ronaldo's record of most La Liga hat-tricks following his treble for Barcelona against Celta Vigo on matchday-12 of the ongoing 2019-20 season.
Messi has scored hat-tricks in four different club competitions Barcelona in four different competitions: 34 in La Liga, eight in the Champions League, three in Copa Del Rey and one in the Spanish Super Cup. In addition, Messi also has six hat-tricks for his national side, Argentina.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (54)
With 54 hat-tricks for club and country, Cristiano Ronaldo has the most hat-tricks by any active player. Ronaldo, along with Messi, holds the record for most hat-tricks in the Spanish league with 34, and the UEFA Champions League with eight apiece.
The Portugal captain has eight hat-tricks for his country, one hat-trick for his second professional club Manchester United, 44 for Real Madrid, and one for his present club Juventus.
Also check out: Champions league top scorers Champions League table Champions League Schedule
