Some of the greatest African players of all time have graced the Premier League.
Former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah had short spells at Chelsea and Manchester City, while 2004 Africa Cup of Nations Best Player Jay-Jay Okocha was a fan favourite in four seasons with Bolton Wanderers.
In total, over 400 African players have featured in the competition over the years and many of those have been forwards.
Here, a look at the African players who have scored Premier League hat-tricks…
Efan Ekoku (Norwich City)
Efan Ekoku was the first African player to score a Premier League hat-trick, hitting four goals for Norwich City in a 5-1 win at Everton in September 1993.
The former Nigerian international, who later had a five-year spell at Wimbledon, also scored Norwich’s first-ever goal in European competition with an effort against Vitesse Arnhem earlier in the month.
Peter Ndlovu (Coventry City)
Coventry City fans will have fond memories of Peter Ndlovu and especially his hat-trick against Liverpool at Anfield in March 1995.
The Zimbabwean, who was the first African player to feature in the Premier League, became the second one to score a hat-trick with his treble for the Sky Blues in a 3-2 win at Liverpool. In doing so, he also became the first away player to score a hat-trick at Anfield in 30 years.
Nwankwo Kanu (Arsenal)
Nwankwo Kanu made close to 200 appearances for Arsenal and scored 44 goals for the Gunners between 1998 and 2003.
The Nigerian’s best return came in the 1999/2000 season, when he hit 17 goals in all competitions, including a memorable hat-trick in a 3-2 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Henri Camara (Wigan Athletic)
Henri Camara played for a number of English clubs, including Wolves, West Ham, Southampton, Stoke City and Sheffield United.
But the former Senegal striker’s longest spell came at Wigan Athletic, where he featured in several Premier League campaigns. The highlight was a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic in December 2005.
Aruna Dindane (Portsmouth)
One of several players to score a Premier League hat-trick in the late 2000s, Aruna Dindane hit three in a 4-0 win for Portsmouth over Wigan Athletic in October 2009.
The Ivory Coast striker, who was on loan from Lens, was dropped later on in the season in order for cash-strapped Pompey to avoid paying an additional £4 million fee to the French club.
Salomon Kalou (Chelsea)
Salomon Kalou spent six seasons at Chelsea between 2006 and 2012 and scored 60 goals in over 250 games for the Blues.
A Premier League and Champions League winner with Chelsea, Kalou also featured in four FA Cup triumphs. The former Ivory Coast attacker’s sole Premier League hat-trick came in a 7-0 win over Stoke City at Stamford Bridge in April 2010.
Somen Tchoyi (West Brom)
Somen Tchoyi’s second-half hat-trick salvaged a point for West Brom away to Newcastle United in May 2011.
With West Brom 3-0 down at the break, the Cameroonian midfielder struck three goals in the final half an hour, including an equaliser in added time at St. James’ Park.
Peter Odemwingie (West Brom)
Peter Odemwingie scored 30 Premier League goals for West Brom across three seasons and was named as the competition’s Player of the Month on three occasions.
The former Nigeria forward memorably scored three for the Baggies in a 5-1 win away to Wolves in a Black Country derby in February 2012.
Samuel Eto’o (Chelsea)
One of the greatest African players of all time, Samuel Eto’o was nearing the twilight of his impressive career when he played for Chelsea and Everton.
The legendary Cameroonian striker scored 12 goals in a single season at Stamford Bridge in 2013/14, with three of those coming in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in January 2014.
Yaya Touré (Manchester City)
One of Manchester City’s greatest-ever midfielders, Yaya Touré spent eight seasons with the Sky Blues, winning an array of trophies and scoring 79 goals for the club.
The Ivorian hit a hat-trick for City in a 5-0 win over Fulham in March 2014, scoring two penalties and adding a third with a superb strike from distance.
Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace)
Crystal Palace scored four goals in the space of 14 minutes to beat Sunderland 4-1 away from home in April 2015 and Yannick Bolasie netted three of those.
After Glenn Murray’s opener from Bolasie’s deflected cross, the France-born Congo DR winger hit three in the space of 11 minutes in a big win at the Stadium of Light.
Arouna Koné (Everton)
Everton thrashed Sunderland 6-2 at Goodison Park in November 2015 and Arouna Koné scored half of his side’s goals.
The former Ivory Coast striker netted the second, fifth and sixth goals for the Toffees in what was comfortably his best afternoon in an Everton shirt.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang posted impressive numbers for much of his time at Arsenal and scored 92 goals in total for the Gunners in 163 appearances.
The Gabonese striker’s sole Premier League hat-trick came at an empty Emirates Stadium, due to Covid-19 restrictions, as he hit three in a 4-0 win over Leeds United in February 2021.
Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City)
Kelechi Iheanacho spent seven seasons at Leicester City between 2017 and 2024 and the 2020/21 campaign was easily the most prolific of those.
The Nigerian striker scored 19 goals overall for the Foxes in all competitions that season, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Sheffield United in the Premier League in March 2021.
Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
Nicolas Jackson scored twice in stoppage time as Chelsea beat Tottenham 4-1 in a freak game in north London in November 2023.
Spurs had been reduced to nine men following red cards for Cristián Romero and Destiny Udogie, but Ange Postecoglou’s side continued to defend with a high line. Jackson eventually gave Chelsea the lead with just over 15 minutes left and the Senegal striker added two more late on in a match featuring five goals and another five ruled out.
Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
Manchester United beat Southampton 3-1 in the Premier League at Old Trafford in January 2025 and Amad Diallo scored all three goals for Rubén Amorim’s side.
Trailing to a Manuel Ugarte own goal, Diallo equalised in the 82nd minute, with the Ivorian midfielder on target again in the 90th and completing his hat-trick in added time.
Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth)
Dango Ouattara scored three times for Bournemouth in an amazing 5-0 win over high-flying Nottingham Forest in January 2025.
The Burkina Faso winger scored the Cherries’ second, third and fourth goals in an impressive victory for Andoni Iraola’s side.
Omar Marmoush (Manchester City)
Omar Marmoush signed for Manchester City from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 and the Egyptian forward quickly made his mark.
Marmoush made his debut on January 25th in a 3-1 win over Chelsea and on February 15th, he hit his first career hat-trick as the Sky Blues beat Newcastle United 4-0 at the Etihad.
Tony Yeboah (Leeds United)
Tony Yeboah scored some unbelievable goals for Leeds United and the Ghanaian netted three hat-tricks for the Whites – with two of those coming in the Premier League.
Yeboah scored three in a 4-0 win at home to Ipswich Town in April 1995 and hit another hat-trick in a 4-2 victory at Wimbledon in September that year. His other treble came in the UEFA Cup against Monaco, 11 days before the one at Selhurst Park.
Demba Ba (Newcastle United)
Demba Ba spent two seasons at Newcastle United and the former Senegal striker scored 20 goals in his 58 appearances for the Magpies between 2011 and 2013.
Those included two hat-tricks, which came in a 3-1 win at home to Blackburn Rovers in September 2011 and in a victory away to Stoke City by the same scoreline the following month.
Benjani Mwaruwari (Portsmouth)
Portsmouth beat Reading 7-4 in an amazing game in September 2007, which remains the Premier League’s highest-scoring match.
Nine different players got on the scoresheet at Fratton Park, but Benjani Mwaruwari stole the show with a hat-trick in a huge win for Pompey. The Zimbabwean scored another hat-trick in January 2008 as Portsmouth beat Derby County 3-1, but was sold to Manchester City in February and missed the club’s FA Cup win later in the season.
Sadio Mané (Southampton)
Although more associated with Liverpool after spending six successful seasons at Anfield, both of Sadio Mané’s Premier League hat-tricks came in his two-year stay at Southampton.
The Senegalese striker scored three in a 6-1 win over Aston Villa in May 2015 and netted another treble as the Saints beat Manchester City 4-2 in May 2016.
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City & Manchester City)
A Premier League winner with Leicester City and Manchester City, Riyad Mahrez hit hat-tricks for both clubs in the competition.
The Algerian winger scored all three in a 3-0 win for Leicester at Swansea City in December 2015 and netted another treble for City in a 5-0 victory against Burnley in November 2020.
Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal)
Emmanuel Adebayor scored 62 goals for Arsenal and the former Togolese forward hit three Premier League hat-tricks for the Gunners.
Two of those came in big wins over Derby County in the 2007/08 season – one in a 5-0 win at the Emirates Stadium in September 2007 and another in a 6-2 victory at Pride Park in April 2008. His third came a few months later as he scored three in a 4-0 win at Blackburn Rovers in September.
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
One of the great Premier League strikers, Didier Drogba scored over 100 goals for Chelsea in the competition across nine seasons.
The Ivorian hit three hat-tricks in the Premier League, with one of those coming in an 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic in May 2010 as the Blues clinched the title. His next came early in the following season, when he hit a treble in a 6-0 victory against West Brom. The first had come in November 2006 as Chelsea beat Watford 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Yakubu (Portsmouth, Everton & Blackburn Rovers)
Yakubu played for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and was a prolific scorer in the competition.
The Nigerian hit hat-tricks for Portsmouth in a 5-1 win over Middlesbrough in May 2004 and in a 4-3 victory at home to Fulham in August that year. He scored another against Fulham in a 3-0 win in December 2007, before netting all four goals for Blackburn in a 4-2 victory over Swansea City in December 2011.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah signed for Liverpool in 2017 and the Egyptian forward’s first Premier League hat-trick came in March as he netted four times in a 5-0 win over Watford at Anfield.
Salah scored three more goals in a 4-0 win at Bournemouth in December 2018. He then added another treble including two penalties, one of which was the winner in a 4-3 victory over Leeds United in September 2020. And his fourth Premier League hat-trick was even more memorable as he hit three in a historic 5-0 win for Liverpool against Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 2021.
