Jude Bellingham has become the latest up-and-coming hot-shot to wave goodbye to Dortmund after signing as a teenager and blossoming into one of the most promising midfielders in the world in the time since. Adding the famous list of Borussia Dortmund most expensive sales.

The Englishman has completed a move to Real Madrid in a deal worth an initial £88.5million, merely the latest in a string of big-money sales made by the German giants.

The fee could reach 133.9m euros (£115m) with add-ons.

"I'd always been aware of the interest from England so that was pretty normal," said Bellingham at his presentation as a Real Madrid player.

"It was a bit of a surprise when my dad sat me down and said: 'You've had a bit of interest from Real Madrid.'

"I think that was maybe about 12-15 months ago. When he said that I had goosebumps, my heart was close to stopping. It's something you don't expect growing up - being able to play for a team like this."

Dortmund made Bellingham the most expensive 17-year-old in football when they signed him from Birmingham City for £25m in 2020 and he enhanced his reputation with his performances for the German club.

He became Dortmund's youngest captain at 19 and was named the Bundesliga's player of the season for the last campaign.

While it is frustrating for Dortmund fans having to see their club constantly sell their best players, they've developed a knack for reinvesting intelligently and crucially selling at a good time for all involved. And Borussia Dortmund most expensive sales list keeps growing.

So, who are their biggest sales, and how have they fared since making the mega-money switch?

6. Erling Haaland – £51m (2022)

Let's have it right, agents fees and everything else people try to add on does not count. Every transfer involves them, yet they're never considered. Manchester City pulled off one of the bargains of the century, here.

Robbed Dortmund blind. Completely. Haaland came to England, scored 52 goals in his first season with the club and won a treble. For £51m. That's insane.

Even if City are resigned to selling him three years down the line, they'll make a significant profit. Daylight robbery.

5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £56m (2018)

In what was considered a huge coup for Arsenal, the Gunners completed a deal for Aubameyang halfway through their 2017-18 campaign.

The Gabonese forward started brightly, continuing on from his exceptional form in Germany that had seen him become one of the most highly-rated strikers in Europe, winning the Premier League golden boot in 2018-19.

A brilliant start eventually turned into a disappointing end, though, with Aubameyang the subject of a number of disciplinary issues, losing his captaincy and eventually being released in February 2022.

4. Christian Pulisic – £57.6m (2019)

Chelsea sealed a deal to sign Pulisic in January 2019, but immediately loaned him back to Dortmund until the end of the season so that he'd arrive ready ahead of a new campaign, with a full pre-season behind him.

Four years on, though, the American has failed to truly live up to the hype he was once afforded and never really managed to become more than a squad member in London, despite showing signs of his best stuff in spells here and there.

He's expected to leave Chelsea this summer, with Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali trying to clear the decks after signing every player on the planet, but he'll be leaving a Champions League winner if he does.

Hasn't quite go to plan in London, but every cloud and what not.

3. Jadon Sancho – £73m (2021)

In what was one of the longest and most boring transfer sagas in football history, Manchester United finally ended a two-year pursuit of Sancho in 2021 when they managed to tempt Dortmund to part ways with him for £73m.

On the surface, it was a good deal. Dortmund had previously held out for upwards of £100m, but United were patient and managed to get a cut-price.

The only issue? It's now been two years and Sancho only seems to be going backwards. He looks increasingly timid and is still struggling to make a significant impact. And with Erik ten Hag now in the hot seat, time is running out.

He needs to find his feet soon.

2. Jude Bellingham – £88m (2023)

Heavily linked with a move back to England after moving to Dortmund aged 17, Bellingham ripped up the script and chose football heritage instead.

At just 19 years old, £88m already looks like somewhat of a bargain. Bellingham has arrived in the capital and taken the illustrious Real Madrid number five shirt, ready to ball out on the biggest stage.

1. Ousmane Dembele – £96.8m (2017)

Five years on, and the jury is still out on this one. Will probably still be out long after Dembele has hung up his boots.

£96.8m doesn't tell the full story, with the deal to sell Dembele to Barcelona potentially costing La Blaugrana £135.5m in total. In the time since, he's shown the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

It's not very often that we see the Frenchman stealing headlines like we expected when he first made the move, but at the same time, he's been plagued by a series of incredibly unfortunate injuries.

Barcelona, despite their financial difficulties, seem keen to keep him at the club and make sure he fulfils his potential, which probably tells us everything we need to know about how good he could be. Dembele still holds the top spot in Borussia Dortmund most expensive sales list.

Hat tricks are one of the toughest and most exciting things in football. To score thrice in a single match is not only hard but also one of the rarest things as well. However, some players have made it look so easy.

Today, in this article, we will talk about the top ten players with most hat tricks in football in the 21st century.

But before that, let me answer the question that you have in your mind. I know that you want to know who has scored the most hat-tricks in football history.

Who has scored the most hat-tricks in football history?

Now that's a very tricky question to answer because there is a lack of proof with the data of football score lines from the past.

As per Guinness World Records, the Brazilian legend Pele has scored the most hat-tricks in football history. The former striker scored as many as 92 hat tricks in his career, with seven of them being for Brazil. However, since Pele never played in Europe, there is no exact data or proof to support the answer. Most of Pele's hat-tricks came in unofficial and friendlies as well.

Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

Now, to list the top ten players with most hat tricks in football in the 21st century, there will be no confusion, because we have the proof and the data to support our list. This data not only validates but also proves why keeping the record of every football stat is important.

With this list, you will know how the 21st century has been dominated by two of the greatest footballers in history.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored twice as many hat tricks as the 3rd player on the list has achieved.

Here is the full list of the top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century.

12. Sergio Aguero | 18 hat-tricks

The former Manchester City and Argentina legend is one of the greatest strikers of this century. Sergio Aguero finished his career as one of the highest scorers in Premier League history with 180 goals for Manchester City in the league.

With 18 hat tricks to his name, including his club and international career, Aguero is the player with the 12th most hat-tricks in the 21st century.

Not surprisingly, twelve of his 18 hat tricks came for Manchester City, most in the Premier League. However, Aguero only scored one hat-trick for Argentina in his international career.

The former striker scored more than four goals three times in his career, all in the Premier League. 

11. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | 18

Now, this name can come as a surprise to many Gen-Z football followers. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the former Dutch and Ajax centre-forward, scored 18 hat-tricks in his stunning football career.

Although three of his 18 hat-tricks came in the second division of the Dutch League, they are considered official hat-tricks.

Huntelaar scored seven hat-tricks for Ajax and eight for German club FC Schalke. He could only score one international hat-trick for the Netherlands.

Huntelaar scored 366 goals in his career and also featured for clubs like Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Read Also | European treble winners in men's football history

#10. Mario Gomez | 18

The former German striker is one of the most underrated players of his generation. Over his entire career, Mario Gomez scored 333 goals in 610 games for teams like FC Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart and Fiorentina.

The one-time Champions League and three-time Bundesliga winner scored 18 hat-tricks in his career.

12 of his hat-tricks came for FC Bayern Munich, while four came for Stuttgart and one each for Wolfsburg and Germany.

#9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 20

One of the most acrobatic and threatening strikers of the modern era, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the highest scorers of the 21st century.

The Swedish legend is perhaps one of the greatest players to never win the UEFA Champions League despite playing for teams like FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United, PSG and Juventus.

Read Also | Players with most Champions League finals without winning it ever

Zlatan scored 20 hat-tricks in his career, among which half were for PSG. He scored four hat-tricks for his country, Sweden.

#8 Neymar | 21

The Brazilian modern-day great, Neymar, is one of the most loved and eye-catching footballers of the 21st century. Neymar is Brazil's highest goal scorer ever, with 79 goals in 120 matches.

The attacking midfielder made his name with Brazilian club Santos and then went on to conquer Europe with FC Barcelona and PSG before joining Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Four of his 21 hat tricks came for Brazil, which is the second most for the five-time world champion nation. He scored four hat tricks each for FC Barcelona and PSG, while scoring eight hat tricks for his home club, Santos. 

#7 Kylian Mbappe | 22

Now here comes the new generation superstar. Kylian Mbappe has already broken multiple football records in his short career for AS Monaco, PSG, Real Madrid and France.

One of the youngest goal scorers in FIFA World Cup history and one of the youngest ever to score in a World Cup final, Kylian Mbappe is indeed made for greatness.

Read Also | Most Valuable Football Players In 2025: Who is Worth the Big Bucks?

Mbappe has already scored 22 hat-tricks in his career, which include one in the famous FIFA World Cup 2022 final as well. The youngster, who is often compared with Cristiano Ronaldo, has scored 14 hat-tricks for PSG and three for France. The rest came for AS Monaco (2) and Real Madrid (3).

#6 Erling Haaland | 25

Norwegian Erling Haaland is a beast when it comes to scoring goals within the 'D box'. He would always see him at the right place at the right time, scoring some great acrobatic goals.

Haaland rose to fame with German club Borussia Dortmund and then unleashed his absolute best for Premier League club Manchester City. In his first season in the Premier League, he broke the record for the most goals in a season in the tournament (36).

In 329 matches, he has scored 24 hat-tricks and can only get better from here on. 11 of his hat-tricks came for Manchester City, among which 8 came in the Premier League, in only two seasons. 

Read Also | Football facts: Son-father footballer duo to play for national teams

#5 Harry Kane | 27

Harry Kane is the only English player on our list of the top 12 players with most hat tricks in football in 21st century. With 27 hat tricks in his career till now, Harry Kane is fifth on our list currently.

Read Also | Harry Kane becomes the fastest footballer to score 50 Bundesliga goals

The Tottenham Hotspur legend, who left Premier League with the second most goals in the competition's history, is now breaking records in the Bundesliga as well.

Kane scored 14 hat-tricks for Spurs and has already scored 8 hat-tricks for FC Bayern Munich in just two seasons.

Read Also | Last 10 European Golden Shoe winners List

#4 Luis Suarez | 30

Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez, who dominated European football first for Ajax and Liverpool and then for FC Barcelona, creating the famous M-S-N trio with Lionel Messi and Neymar, scored 30 hat-tricks in his career.

Suarez is currently playing for Inter Miami and has scored 505 goals so far in his career, among which 69 came for Uruguay. 

Twelve of his total 30 career hat-tricks came for FC Barcelona and 9 for Ajax during his early days.

Read Also | MSN vs BBC: Rivalry of football's greatest trio in stats

#3 Robert Lewandowski | 34

If we do not count Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski of Poland has been the greatest footballer of this generation. It is harsh that he always gets compared to those two and has not recieve the appreciation he should get.

He was even unlucky not to win the 2020 Ballon d'Or, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Apart from Messi and Cristiano, he is the only player to score over 100 Champions League goals.

Read Also | Highest scoring footballers of the 21st century

Lewandowski scored 34 hat-tricks in his career so far, and 20 of them came for FC Bayern Munich, where he won 8 Bundesliga and one Champions League titles. With 6 UCL hat-tricks, he is the player with the second most hat-tricks in the competition's history, only behind Lionel Messi. 

#2 Lionel Messi | 59

Now you will have to bear with me a bit because the list will get bigger.

Lionel Messi, who has won the most trophies in football history, won the most Ballon d'Or awards, scored the second most four or more goals in football (8), and also has the record for most goal contributions in football history, scoring 59 hat-tricks in his career so far.

Messi also has the record of scoring the most La Liga (36) hat-tricks, which is more than other player's whole career.

The Argentine has scored 48 hat-tricks for FC Barcelona, which is also a record. Messi till now has scored 10 international hat-tricks, the most for Argentina and joint-most in international football history.

Moreover, out of Messi's 59 hat-tricks, only 12 included a penalty, which makes him the player with the most non-penalty hat-tricks as well. 

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo | 66

Here comes the greatest goal scorer in football history, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend has scored the most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century. And, if you do not count the unverified record for Pele, he has the most hat-tricks in football history.

Most goals in club history, most goals in international football, most Champions League goals, joint-most Champions League hat-tricks (10), most league hat-tricks (45) - these are a few of the records set by the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star.

Ronaldo, till now, has scored 66 career hat-tricks, among which 44 came for Real Madrid, a record for the Los Blancos. Moreover, he has scored four or more goals in a game a record 11 times, scoring 4 goals in a game nine times and 5 goals twice.

However, compared with Lionel Messi, 29 of Ronaldo's 66 career hat-tricks included a penalty.

Some players are famous for scoring goals, while some are famous for creating. However, sometimes football teams are blessed with such players who can do both things.

There are players with incredible goal-scoring skills as well as creative skills, and these players are rare. They bring so much value to the team that they become irreplaceable. In this article, we look at the players who have had the most goal contributions since 2001.

Keep in mind that this stat is made from the Top 5 Leagues in Europe and National & International competitions. 

Read Also: Players With the Most Assists In Football History

Players with the most goal contributions (2001-2010)

Two decades earlier than the present, the table looks well shuffled with no names popping off more than twice. However, little did we know that the 2009 season was just the start of the little magician's dominance in world football.

His impact on Pep Guardiola's Barcelona team was simply incomparable.

Thierry Henry is the only other player besides Messi who managed to be the top contributor twice in consecutive seasons. He was part of the golden generation of Arsenal, who won the Premier League title undefeated.

Read Also | Highest scoring footballers of the 21st century

Players with the most goal contributions (2011-2023)

Clearly, in the two charts, Lionel Messi is simply the most dominant player in the world.

He has appeared a record 9 times in the list, more than any player during this time period. However, Luis Suarez was the only player who sneaked into the table during the prime time of Messi and Ronaldo.

Read Also | Top 10 players with the Most goals in a single season

Lionel Messi's 2012 season still remains a record for the most goals scored in a calendar year (91). Erling Haaland had a fantastic 2022-23 season with Manchester City as he won the European treble and scored 52 goals.

In 2024, Harry Kane's transfer to FC Bayern Munich came in handy for him as he finished with 56 goal contributions in that season. The 2024-25 season saw Raphinha emerge at the top of the list with 59 goal contributions for FC Barcelona and Brazil. 

Real Madrid and England star midfielder Jude Bellingham has finally decided to undergo the shoulder surgery, which he injured in 2023. Jude had suffered the injury during his first season for the Los Blancos against Rayo Vallecano on November 5, 2023.

The  21-year-old star will go for surgery today and is all set to miss twelve weeks after shoulder surgery in London. He will return to action in mid-October, following the completion of his rehabilitation process.

Jude has been suffering from the pain for 2 years now. After dislocating the shoulder against Rayo Vallecano, Jude did not want to go for the surgery right away and decided to play with the pain. He started wearing a shoulder brace, which gave the shoulder a bit of solidity. Jude then went on to have a great 2023-24 season in which he won the  La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid.

With time, although Jude's pain became a bit less, the shoulder brace started to frustrate him a bit. Due to wearing the shoulder brace for a long time, he was "losing a lot of weight from sweating so much". Not only that, he also mentioned that his "patience is running out" with all the limitations the brace was forcing on him.

So, eventually, after two years, Jude decided to let go of the problem and do the surgery. 

Read Also | Who is Olivia Smith? Arsenal are ready to pay the most expensive transfer fee for her

An arthroscopic shoulder surgery will be done on Bellingham, and the full process of recovery can take more than three months. However, Fernando Ramos of the Spanish Association of Physiotherapists feels that players with similar injuries generally require four months to return to training, with competitive play resuming potentially five to six months post-surgery.

Read Also | Top 10 Best Attacking Trios in football in 2025

During his rehabilitation process, Jude will miss eight LaLiga matches and the beginning of the Champions League group stage for Real Madrid under new manager Xabi Alonso. Not only that, he will also miss England's World Cup qualifying fixtures against Andorra and Serbia in September 2025.

Every now and then, a year comes along that changes sports history. Imagine waiting years, even decades, for your favourite team to win. For fans across the globe, 2025 has turned that dream into reality.

This year has been special, marked by some of the longest trophy droughts in sports finally coming to an end. Teams like South Africa in cricket and Bologna in football have broken long-standing curses, proving that anything is possible. 

Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history? Join us as we explore why 2025 is a year sports fans won't soon forget, and is also termed as "Year of the underdogs."

1. South Africa won an ICC Trophy after 27 years/ 9,862 days

For nearly three decades, the "chokers" tag clung to the Proteas like an unwanted shadow. Time and again, they reached close to the glory, only to falter at crucial moments. But 2025 changed everything, as they lifted ICC WTC Trophy defeating a strong Australian side in the Final.

South Africa showcased a cricketing masterclass with extraordinary team efforts in a high-stakes final match. From Aiden Markram's century to Temba Bavuma's batting class, they gave it all to earn the standing ovation from the crowd as they walked with pride after the win.

This victory, as Mark Boucher previously said, indeed is the turnaround they needed to inspire future generations and earn global respect as champions that they truly deserve.

They made the world chant "It's time for Africa" with their performance.

Read Also: Most ICC Trophies by any men's team

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2. RCB won their first ever IPL trophy after 18 years/ 6,570 days

For 18 painfully long years, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and their passionate fans endured a rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak in IPL. Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB delivered exceptional, balanced performance this season, finally breaking free of their curse.

The image of Virat Kohli lifting the IPL trophy, the last major piece missing from his glittering cabinet, was one of the most iconic sporting moments of this year. It not only signified the team's victory, but also the ultimate reward for loyalty and career-long excellence.

The overall team contribution and management are the key factors that led them to secure their place as champions, shutting all the haters down.

Read Also: IPL 2025: RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs

AAAAARRRRR CEEEEEEE BEEEEEE ❤🏆#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS | #Final | #TheLastMile | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/lp3AwgCVQl

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 3, 2025

3. Go Ahead Eagles won the KNVB Cup after 93 years/ 33,968 days

Go Ahead Eagles soared to their first major trophy in 93 years, winning the KNVB Cup in 2025. For generations of fans in Deventer, this was a moment they might have only dreamed of. The emotions outpouring after the victory were sensational.

Their journey in the tournament was an underdog saga, defeating AZ Alkmaar, where they equalised the final match in the 99th minute to take it to penalties, and ultimately winning it from there!

4. Bologna won the Italian Cup after 51 years/ 18,619 days

Bologna's victory in the Italian Cup after 51 years was a testament to patience and a perfectly executed season. Their triumph in 2025, defeating AC Milan 1-0 in the final, was a moment they manifested for years.

Key contributions from players like Don Ndoye, who scored the decisive goal despite returning from injury, and the tactical decisions of the coach, Vincenzo Italiano, brought joy to a city that waited for so long.

5.  Crystal Palace won the first ever major trophy (FA Cup) after 119 years/ 43,714 days

Perhaps the most astonishing drought-breaker of 2025 belonged to Crystal Palace. After 119 years, the Eagles finally lifted their first-ever major trophy, the FA Cup. 

The single decisive goal from Eberechi Eze and crucial saves from goalkeeper Dean Henderson shaped their 1-0 victory over Manchester City FC. This victory proved that even after more than a century, a club's biggest dream can still become reality!

Read Also: Football teams with most international trophies

6. Newcastle United won the League Cup after a long wait of 55 years/ 20,367 days

For the passionate supporters of Newcastle United, 2025 brought an end to a 55-year wait for a major domestic trophy as they won the English Football League Cup.

The sight of the Magpies defeating the 10-time champions Liverpool (1-2) was a powerful moment that reinforced belief in their new era. Goals from local hero Dan Burn and Alexander Isak brought the victory home for them.

7. Harry Kane won his first-ever major trophy (Bundesliga) after 32 years/ 11,676 days

For years, England's most prolific striker, Harry Kane, was burdened by an unfortunate tag: "trophy virgin." Despite his goal-scoring records and individual brilliance, a major team trophy has always slipped away from him.

But 2025 finally saw the narrative shattered as Kane immediately made his mark after joining Bayern Munich, leading them to their 33rd Bundesliga title. He was also the top scorer of the 2024-25 season, having scored 26 goals and 8 assists.

This victory felt like a personal one, putting a line to complete the picture in his football career.

Read Also: 11 players who have won the most trophies in football history

This one’s coming home with me! 🏆

Buzzing to be Bundesliga top goalscorer for the second year in a row and this one’s even more special as it goes alongside the Bundesliga title! Couldn’t have achieved this without the support of my teammates! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WnvIvCf28S

— Harry Kane (@HKane) May 17, 2025

8. Tottenham won the UEFA Europa League after 17 years/ 6,296 days

2025 finally broke Tottenham Hotspur's 17-year trophy drought, as they won the UEFA Europa League. This was a monumental win, bringing the title back to North London.

The tense final against Manchester United saw a crucial goal from Brennan Johnson secure the 1-0 victory. However, the most iconic image was Son Heung-min, the club's long-serving captain, finally lifting a major trophy.

After a decade of dedication and numerous near misses, Son's emotional moment, draped in the Korean flag, was the highlight of his commitment and love for football.

A moment Tottenham fans will never forget 🏆#UELfinal | @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/ROFK5pRtDD

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 22, 2025

The UEFA Champions League final represents the pinnacle of Europeam Club football, a stage where heroes are crowned. For any player, scoring in this momentous match is a big achivement, and for a few, that moment comes at an astonishingly young age!

Dive into the list of 5 youngest goalscorers in Champions League finals, with the spotlight on recent additions of Paris Saint-Germain's Mayulu and Doue, who have etched their names on this exclusive list.

5. Lars Ricken (20 years 322 days) | 1997

In 1997, Borussia Dortmund's local boy, Lars Ricken etched his name into Champions League final history with a goal against Juventus. Coming on as a substitute, he took just 16 seconds to score the goal after entering the pitch!

At just 20 years and 322 days old, his impactful goal helped Dortmund secure a 3-1 victory, and it still remains one of the most iconic moments in UCL finals history.

4. Desire Doue (19 years 362 days) | 2025

The 2025 UEFA Champions League final saw a remarkably young talent make his mark on field. Desire Doue added his name in this list of youngest goalscorers with scoring twice (20' , 63') in the finals against Inter Milan.

He scored the second and third goal of the match, which significantly gave PSG a boost in this high-stakes match. His attacking style and dominant gameplay at just 19 years and 362 days of age, was great to watch.

Doue's name will be forever treasured in the books of PSG's success in UEFA Champions League.

Read Also: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

3. Carlos Alberto (19 years 167 days) | 2004

Carlos Alberto of FC Porto scored a stunning goal in the 2004 Champions League finals at the age of 19 years and 167 days. He scored the first goal of the match, which eventually led to a victory of 3-0 against AS Monaco FC.

He delivered a memorable moment for the team and became the key figure in Porto's surprising triumph, that too, for their second UCL title.

2. Senny Mayulu (19 years 14 days) | 2025

In the electrifying final of 2025 Champions League, PSG got another young talent who didn't just play; he made history. Senny Mayulu, at just 19 years and 14 days old, became the second-youngest goalscorer ever in the Champions League final.

Mayulu scored the final goal in their 5-0 victory against Inter Milan, and his strike in a match of such immense pressure solidified his status as an emerging player for the Parisian giants.

Read Also: Football Facts: Managers with most UCL titles

1. Patrick Kluivert (18 years 327 days) | 1995

Topping the list as the youngest goalscorer in Champions League final is Patrick Kluivert. In 1995 final, playing for Ajax, he scored the decisive goal in the 85th minute, securing a 1-0 victory against AC Milan.

At just 18 years and 327 days of age, his crucial finish brought Ajax's fifth UCL title home, and established him as an iconic talent who made history in European football's grandest stage.