Players who bagged five goals after Lionel Messi’s incredible Argentina rout
Lionel Messi put in a five-star performance as Argentina thumped Estonia on Sunday evening.
The Argentine ace netted all five goals in the extraordinary friendly rout over the European minnows to re-write the history books as he equalled an 81-year-old record. Messi, who extended his standing as his nation's all-time record goalscorer by bringing his international tally to a staggering 86 in 162 caps, matched the achievements of Manuel Seoane in 1925 and Juan Marvezzi in 1941 by netting five times in a game for Argentina.
Following his phenomenal feat, Daily Star Sport take a closer look at other players who have hit five goals in a single match. You won't be surprised to learn Messi is among them having already achieved the accomplishment back in 2012.
Lionel Messi
Remarkably, Messi's five-goal haul for Argentina on Sunday evening wasn't his first. A decade ago, the Paris Saint-Germain forward did so against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League back in his Barcelona pomp.
On that occasion, Messi saw his side claim a stunning 7-1 win over the Bundesliga outfit to secure their passage to the competition's last eight in emphatic style. So good was the Argentine attacker's performance that night, that opposition manager Robin Dutt could help but wax-lyrical over the superstar who put his side to the sword.
"His class is just extraordinary, there's no discussion," the Leverkusen manager gushed. "Without Messi, Barca are the best team, and with him, they are in another galaxy."
Luiz Adriano
Messi may have been the first player to bag five goals in a single match in Champions League history, but his feat has since been matched. The Argentine was joined by fellow South American Luiz Adriano just two years later.
The Brazilian striker equalled Messi's achievement by netting five as his Shakhtar Donetsk side battered Bulgarian outfit BATE Borisov in the Champions League group stage back in 2014. Adriano's haul also saw him scored the third quickest hat-trick in the competition's history as he hit a 12-minute treble.
The Ukrainian side additionally racked up the biggest-ever half-time lead in Europe's elite club competition. Extraordinarily, the Shakhtar were 6-0 up at the interval.
Aritz Aduriz
Two years on, and the feat was repeated again on the European stage – this time in the Europa League. On this occasion, it was the turn of Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz to steal the spotlight.
The Spanish veteran became the first player to strike five in a single game in Europa League history as the Basque outfit beat Belgian club Genk 5-3. Three of the 35-year-old's five efforts came from the penalty spot.
In hitting a quintet of strikes, Aduriz became he first Spaniard to score five goals in a single European game since 1971. He also became the first to hit five in a second-tier European game since 1994, back when Premier League cult hero Fabrizio Ravanelli did so for Juventus in a Uefa Cup match against CSKA Sofia.
Andy Cole
Back in 1995, Andy Cole became the first player to achieve such a feat after doing so for Manchester United in a thumping 9-0 win over Ipswich Town. The result saw the Red Devils claim their biggest league win in 103 years.
The Theatre of Dreams proved to be an apt setting for the achievement, which has been equalled four times in the Premier League since. On that fateful day, Cole bagged a first half brace as United led 3-0 come the interval.
He continued to show no mercy on the hapless Tractor Boys, plundering another three in the second 45 minutes. All five were poached finishes – a style synonymous with Cole's goalscoring career.
Alan Shearer
Of course the Premier League's all-time record goalscorer would ensure he also featured in the exclusive club. Four years after Cole crashed home five, Alan Shearer matched his England colleague's feat.
Shearer's five-goal haul came in a resounding 8-0 win for Newcastle over Sheffield Wednesday back in 1999. With half an hour on the clock, the Magpies were merely one goal in front. Then Shearer found his shooting boots.
The iconic striker struck three times in a 12-minute spell before the interval before Kieron Dyer and Gary Speed put the Toon out of sight in the second half. However, Shearer wasn't finished. There was still time for the Newcastle legend to grab two more late on and cement his status in the five-goal club.
Jermain Defoe
A third and final Englishman would achieve the five-goal feat in the Premier League, but fans would have to wait a decade after Shearer's exploits to witness such a goalscoring accomplishment again. Jermain Defoe wrote his name in the history books after netting five for Tottenham as they trounced Wigan 9-1 in November 2009.
Astonishingly, Spurs were only 1-0 up at the interval courtesy of Peter Crouch. In the second period, Wigan capitulated in the most remarkable manner and Defoe was there to pounce to a deadly degree.
The England forward struck five in the second half which included the second-fastest ever hat-trick in Premier League history. A truly unique demolition job.
Dimitar Berbatov
What better way to end a 10-match barren spell in front of goal than by scoring five in one go? Well, that's exactly what United's Dimitar Berbatov did 12 months on from Defoe's five-goal fiesta.
The Red Devils ran riot as they battered Blackburn Rovers 7-1 at Old Trafford. The Bulgarian stole the show, finding the back of the net on five occasions as United produced a masterclass in attack football.
Berbatov manager, the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, was quick to point out that his striker should have scored more come full-time. The great Scot remarked: "He could have scored a sixth actually, his header was saved by [Paul] Robinson near the end."
Sergio Aguero
Messi isn't the only Argentine ace to have achieved the feat. His compatriot and close friend Sergio Aguero also has a five-goal haul to his name.
The Manchester City marksman achieved his as the Sky Blues smashed Newcastle for six in October 2015. Aleksandr Mitrovic gave the Magpies the lead that day before the City striker put in one of the most prolific displays in Premier League history.
Aguero struck five in the space of 20 minutes, either side of the half-time interval to leave Steve McClaren's side shell-shocked. The scintillating showing also fired City back to the top of the Premier League table. Simply sublime.
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