Gyokeres joins Messi, Nkunku after record-breaking hat-trick against Man City

Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres showed talent with a remarkable hat-trick in a stunning 4-1 Champions League victory over Manchester City.

He has now joined an elite club alongside Lionel Messi and Christopher Nkunku.

Gyokeres is only the third player to score three goals against City in a Champions League match.

Messi did so in Barcelona’s 4-0 win in 2016, and Nkunku, who scored a hat-trick in RB Leipzig’s 6-3 loss to City in 2021.

The Swedish international’s treble made him Sporting’s first player to net a Champions League hat-trick in 42 years, since Antonio Oliveira’s 1982 feat against Dinamo Zagreb in the European Cup.

Gyokeres struck his first goal seven minutes before halftime and added two penalties in the second half, continuing his outstanding season with 23 goals in 17 games.

Reflecting on the game after the match, Gyokeres said, “It’s always nice to score and even better to score a hat-trick.

“Most important was to win the game, so it was a brilliant night for us.”