João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick: The ball drops to you inside the penalty box after a messy scramble. Your striker tries to control it but only manages to send it spinning high into the air. With your back to goal, you nudge the ball onto your chest, fall backwards, and smash it over your head. It flies into the top corner with such speed that the defender on the line can do nothing but watch.
Goal II: You slip into space inside the six-yard box while your team is attacking in numbers. A cross gets deflected toward you, and you control it on your chest with your back facing goal. As it bounces up, you launch yourself into the air, body stretched parallel to the ground, and hammer it over your head into the far top corner. The goalkeeper throws his hand up in frustration, knowing he had no chance of saving it.
Goal III: The opposition loses the ball during a counterattack. Your teammates are sprinting into their half when the ball breaks loose just outside the box. You’ve joined the run as always, and the ball rolls perfectly into your path. Without hesitation, you strike it first time. It rockets through a crowd of defenders and curls into the top corner.
Now imagine scoring all three of these goals in just one game. For most players, hitting even one would be a dream. Scoring all of them within 70 minutes, though? That’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment. And that’s exactly what happened with the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick on Saturday night.
The 20-year-old, known more for his energy and tackling than goal scoring, shocked Ligue 1 by producing one of the greatest hat-tricks football has ever seen. To make it even more special, the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick was also the first hat-trick of his professional career.
READ MORE:
A Midfielder Who Doesn’t Look the Part
Standing at about 5’7”, Neves doesn’t have the intimidating presence you’d expect from a game-changing player. With his shirt tucked in old-school style, he looks more like a schoolboy than a modern football star. But once the whistle blows, he transforms completely. His speed, pressing, and energy make him a constant nightmare for opponents.
Last season, when PSG won the Ligue 1 title, Neves was already making a name for himself defensively. He recorded the most tackles in a single Champions League campaign since Italian hardman Gennaro Gattuso. He was everywhere on the pitch, breaking up play, chasing loose balls, and linking defense with attack. His passing style shifts between safe, accurate passes and bold, risky ones when needed.
Yet, despite his influence, Neves often stayed under the radar. The spotlight went to PSG’s flashy front three, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, and Desire Doué, whose speed and skill dazzled fans. Even in midfield, teammates like Vitinha with his tricks and Fabian Ruiz with his goals attracted more attention. Neves was the unsung hero in Luis Enrique’s system, doing the hard work while others took the headlines. But with the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick, all eyes were suddenly on him.
The Night Neves Made History
Against Toulouse, Neves showed he’s not just a defensive workhorse, he can deliver when goals are needed. His three strikes weren’t just goals, they were highlights you’ll see replayed for years. PSG’s coach Luis Enrique summed it up perfectly: “It’s not just about him scoring three goals. It’s the way he scored them. Hat-tricks like this are extremely rare, but João has that quality.” His words underline just how unique the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick truly was.
The match itself was chaotic. Neves opened the scoring with his first bicycle kick, then Bradley Barcola made it 2-0. Soon after, Neves struck again with another stunning overhead kick to stretch the lead. Dembélé scored from the penalty spot to make it 4-0. Toulouse tried to fight back, Charlie Creswell pulled one back, then Frank Magri had a penalty saved, only for a retake to be awarded. Cristian Casseres stepped up but saw his effort saved again.
Just when it looked like PSG had control, Neves unleashed his third, an unstoppable thunderbolt from outside the box. That made it 6-1 and completed the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick, one of the greatest single-game performances in Ligue 1 history. Toulouse did score twice more through Yann Gboho and Alexis Vossah, but it ended 6-3. In the end, the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick was the difference between a close contest and a comfortable PSG win.
After the game, Neves tried to stay humble. “The team’s win is more important than my three goals,” he said, though the grin on his face told another story. He even admitted he practices bicycle kicks during training and sometimes at the beach. “The balls were perfect, so I thought, why not try?”
For daring to try, and pulling it off three times, Neves gave us one of the greatest hat-tricks ever seen in Ligue 1. The João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick didn’t just win PSG the game, it gave fans around the world a memory to treasure.
More than just three goals, the João Neves 3 Goal Hat-Trick marked the night when a rising star officially became a superstar.
READ MORE:
