Which Footballers Have Scored Most of Their Career Goals in a Single Match
Which Footballers Have Scored Most of Their Career Goals in a Single Match
Which Footballers Have Scored Most of Their Career Goals in a Single Match in the long and storied history of football, goals have always been the ultimate measure of brilliance. While legends like Messi, Ronaldo, and Pelé have built careers on consistent scoring, there exists a fascinating category of players who managed to score a huge percentage of their career goals in a single match. These rare moments represent the unpredictable magic of football, where average players suddenly carve their names into the sport’s folklore. From defenders who became heroes for one night to forwards who exploded onto the scene with record-breaking performances, this article dives into the players who scored most of their career goals in one unforgettable game
Understanding the Concept
When we say a footballer “scored most of his career goals in one match,” it refers to players whose total career goals were relatively few, but a single extraordinary performance contributed to 50% or more of that tally. These rare cases often involve defenders, midfielders, or lesser-known forwards rather than elite strikers. For such players, one magical night can define their entire career — the kind of game fans remember long after the final whistle.
For example, a player who scored four goals in his entire professional life might have netted three of them in just one game. It’s not about being the best — it’s about that one perfect moment when everything clicked. These performances are both astonishing and poetic, reminding us that football’s beauty lies in its unpredictability.
Examples Through Football History
1. Matthieu Chalmé (France – Bordeaux)
Matthieu Chalmé was a dependable right-back known more for his defensive duties than attacking flair. Yet, in 2004, he shocked Ligue 1 fans by scoring a hat-trick for Bordeaux against Ajaccio. At that point, Chalmé had scored only four professional goals — meaning 75% of his total came in that single match. It became the standout moment of his career, and fans still remember that rare day when a full-back turned into a striker.
2. Jeremy Ngakia (England – Watford)
Watford’s Premier League defender Jeremy Ngakia is not famous for scoring goals, but during a 2024 EFL Cup match against Oxford United, he netted twice — a remarkable achievement for a player whose entire career tally at that stage stood at just three goals. In other words, two-thirds of his total came in one memorable game. Social media erupted with jokes that Ngakia had done more in one night than many strikers do in a month!
3. Archie Thompson (Australia)
Archie Thompson’s record is legendary. During a World Cup qualifier in 2001, Australia demolished American Samoa 31–0, and Thompson scored an unbelievable 13 goals — a world record in international football. Out of his 28 international goals, nearly half came from that single match. Even though he had a solid club career, that one game remains the defining moment of his footballing legacy.
4. Stefan “Stanis” Dembicki (France/Poland – RC Lens, 1942)
In a French Cup match during 1942, Stefan Dembicki, also known as “Stanis,” scored an astonishing 16 goals for RC Lens against Auby-Asturies. This performance remains the highest goal tally by a professional player in one match. Although he continued to score in later seasons, that game alone made him immortal in football history.
5. Passang Tshering (Bhutan – 2007)
In Bhutan’s A-Division, Passang Tshering of Transport United achieved an incredible feat by scoring 17 goals in a single game against RIHS FC. For Tshering, that one match represented the majority of his career goals, making him a national legend and proving that football’s magic extends far beyond Europe’s top leagues.
Why These Records Matter
Such one-off performances serve as a reminder that football isn’t just about superstars like Messi, Ronaldo, or Haaland. The sport thrives on unpredictability — and every player, no matter their position, can have their moment in the spotlight. These matches show how even defenders or squad players can make history with a performance that no one saw coming.
For elite scorers, a five-goal match may represent less than 1% of their career totals. But for others, that same feat could account for 60% or more of everything they’ve ever scored. That’s what makes these records so fascinating — they reflect football’s human side, full of surprise, emotion, and chance.
Fans love these stories because they show that football’s magic doesn’t belong exclusively to the world’s best players. Sometimes, the game gives glory to the unexpected hero who rises just once — and never needs to again.
Other Notable Single-Match Scoring Feats
| Player | Match / Year | Goals in One Match | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archie Thompson | Australia vs American Samoa, 2001 | 13 | World record for an international match |
| Stefan Dembicki (Stanis) | RC Lens vs Auby-Asturies, 1942 | 16 | Professional record |
| Hacène Lalmas | Ruisseau vs Birtouta, 1962 | 14 | Algerian record |
| Ramón Arroyo | Tampico Madero vs Truenos, 1995 | 17 | Mexican third division |
| Passang Tshering | Transport United vs RIHS, 2007 | 17 | Bhutan record |
| Yanick Manzizila | Congo United vs Balrog, 2014 | 21 | Swedish amateur record |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the record for most goals in a single professional football match?
The record belongs to Stefan “Stanis” Dembicki, who scored 16 goals for RC Lens in 1942 against Auby-Asturies. Although some amateur and regional games have seen higher numbers, Dembicki’s feat remains unmatched at the professional level.
Which player scored the most goals in an international match?
Australia’s Archie Thompson scored 13 goals against American Samoa in 2001, setting the world record for most goals in a single international game. That match also ended in the largest margin of victory in international football history — 31–0.
Why are these single-match records so rare in football?
Because modern football is more competitive and defensively organised, scoring even three or four goals in a match is rare. For a player to score more than half of their career goals in one match requires both exceptional form and unusually weak opposition — a combination that rarely occurs today.
Have defenders ever scored most of their career goals in one match?
Yes! Matthieu Chalmé of Bordeaux and Jeremy Ngakia of Watford are prime examples. Both are primarily defenders who had a rare attacking day that accounted for the majority of their professional goals.
What makes these performances special for fans?
They represent football’s charm and unpredictability. Fans love seeing unexpected players rise to the occasion. These matches are reminders that in football, glory can belong to anyone — even for just one unforgettable day.
Conclusion
Throughout football’s history, moments of brilliance have often belonged to the game’s superstars — Messi, Ronaldo, and Pelé. Yet, there’s a special magic in the stories of lesser-known players who scored most of their career goals in just one match. Whether it’s Archie Thompson’s record-breaking 13, Dembicki’s 16, or Tshering’s 17 in Bhutan, each represents football’s unpredictable beauty.
These remarkable feats remind us that every player, no matter how modest their career, can experience a night when everything goes right — a night that defines their legacy forever. So, when someone asks, “Which footballers have scored most of their career goals in a single match?” the answer spans continents and eras — proof that football’s magic belongs to everyone.
