Hat-tricks scored in the National Football League (NFL)

GOAL takes a look at all the hat-tricks that were scored during the NFL era...

First time a top division league was introduced in was in 1996 when the National Football League (NFL) was established. Before that it used to a series of prestigious tournaments like the IFA Shield, Durand Cup, Federation Cup and the Santosh Trophy. But there was no unified domestic league.

The NFL was a significant development in Indian football and the league witnessed a lot of great strikers over time.

Yusif Yakubu has the most number of hat-tricks to his name in the National Football League (NFL) era. On all five occasions he scored a hat-trick, he was wearing a jersey.

Only Ranti Martins has scored a hat-trick and still ended up on the losing side. A total of 35 hat-tricks were scored in the NFL era. Goal takes a look at all those occassions.

1996-97

Two hat-tricks were scored in this season and both of them were netted by Bhaichung Bhutia. He found the net five times against Mahindra and even finished the league as the top-scorer with 14 goals.

Player Name For Against Result Bhaichung Bhutia 5 JCT Mahindra United 6-1 Bhaichung Bhutia JCT Dempo 4-1

1997-98

On two occasions, hat-tricks were scored in this season as well. 's Chima Okorie and Goutam Ghosh for Dempo SC were the scorers.

Player Name For Against Result Goutam Ghosh Dempo FC Kochin 5-3 Chima Okorie Mohun Bagan Mahindra United 3-0

1998-99

Manjit Singh of Mahindra United scored the only hat-trick of this season.

Player Name For Against Result Manjit Singh Mahindra United Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) 6-0

1999-2000

Churchill Brother's Francis Silveira and 's Ossius Luiz Ferreira were the hat-trick scorers of this season. In fact, Silveira scored a poker against Dempo to rout them 5-0.

Player Name For Against Result Francis Silveira 4 Churchill Brothers Dempo SC 5-0 Ossius Luiz Ferreira East Bengal

State Bank of Travancore

3-0

2000-01

Mohun Bagan's RC Prakash and Air 's Bungo Singh netted a hat-trick each in this season. Singh scored four against State Bank of Travancore.

Player Name For Against Result RC Prakash Mohun Bagan Air India 0-3 Bungo Singh 4 Air India

State Bank of Travancore

6-1

2001-02

Four hat-tricks were scored in this season and Golden Boot winner Yusif Yakubu scored three goals in a match on two occassions. Mike Okoro and Akeem Alem were the two other players.

Player Name For Against Result Yusif Yakubu Churchill Brothers Tollygunge Agragami 0-4 Mike Okoro Indian Telephone Industries Punjab Police 3-0 Akeem Alem Tollygunge Agragami Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) 3-2 Yusif Yakubu Churchill Brothers Mahindra United 2-3

2002-03

In this campaign, a record ten hat-tricks were scored. Nine players took the match ball at the final whistle with Mohun Bagan's George Ekeh and doing it twice.

Player Name For Against Match Result George Ekeh Mohun Bagan JCT 3-3 George Ekeh Mohun Bagan HAL 1-3 Dudu Omagbemi Salgaocar Indian Bank 2-4 Kasun Nadika Jayasuriya Indian Bank East Bengal 3-3 Alvito D'Cunha East Bengal HAL 3-5 Mike Okoro East Bengal HAL 4-1 Yusif Yakubu Churchill Brothers Indian Bank 5-0 Kasun Nadika Jayasuriya Indian Bank ITI 6-1 Agnelo Jose Gomes 4 Vasco HAL 8-0 Rui Wanderley Weis Vasco ITI 5-0

2003-04

Five players scored three goals in a match this season.

Player Name For Against Match result Ashim Biswas Mohun Bagan Indian Bank 3-0 Yusif Yakubu Churchill Brothers Indian Bank 4-1 Felix Aboagye Mahindra United Mohammedan Club 1-5 Dudu Omagbemi Sporting Clube de Goa Indian Bank 4-1 Marcos Pereira Vasco SC Mohun Bagan 5-1

2004-05

Four different players scored a hat-trick in this season. Yusif Yakubu had netted thrice in a match for the fourth consecutive season.

Player name For Against Match result Dudu Omagbemi Sporting Clube de Goa Fransa FC 1-4 Ranti Martins Dempo SC East Bengal 3-2 Yusif Yakubu Churchill Brothers Sporting Clube de Goa 1-3 Sunil Chhetri Mohun Bagan Tollygunge Agragami 4-0

2005-06

Ranti Martins and Bhaichung Bhutia scored hat-tricks in this campaign for Dempo and East Bengal respectively. But Martins' three goals came for a losing cause.

Player Name For Against Match Result Ranti Martins Dempo SC Mahindra United 3-4 Bhaichung Bhutia East Bengal Sporting Clube de Goa 4-3

2006-07

For the first time since the 1998-99 season, a single hat-trick was scored.