Which Footballers Have Netted Most of Their Career Goals in a Solitary Game?
Recently, Watford defender Ngakia found the net twice for Watford against Oxford to take his career goals total to three from 116 professional matches,” wonders Peter Skilton. “Excluding players who scored only once, has anybody with over 100 matches managed a higher percentage of their total goals in a one game?”
Another reader submits with the story of Matthieu Chalmé. “Defender Matthieu Chalmé appeared in 362 games during his playing days, mostly for Bordeaux and Lille,” Denis writes. “He netted four goals in total, with three of them coming in a solitary match. Chalmé netted all three goals in Lille’s 3-0 win at AC Ajaccio in 2004, achieving the most unlikely of three-goal hauls.”
Those three well-taken goals in Ajaccio were the only ones he scored in 179 Lille appearances, while in 167 for Bordeaux, he scored once. Actually, twice including his self-scored goal in the 2010 Coupe de la Ligue final against Marseille. Netting three-quarters of his total goals in one game puts Chalmé ahead of Ngakia’s percentage (66.7%), but there’s a complication.
Chalmé hung up his boots at Bordeaux in July 2014 after a temporary move at Ajaccio, who likely remembered his short burst of form a decade earlier. He did return to football with amateur team Lège Cap-Ferret, featuring seven times in six months – and scoring one goal. That would drop Chalmé’s percentage of goals scored in a single game down to three-fifths, but it feels harsh to count against him for a post-career stint at amateur football.
A brief note, too, for another French full-back: the legendary Thuram. While the original question relates to professional club play, plenty of you emailed in to point out that the defender made 142 international caps and netted twice in the same match – the World Cup semi-final against the Croatian team. Sometimes, form is everything.
Players Defying Managers: Part II
In last week’s Knowledge we looked at players who disobeyed their coaches. We have additional great stories, so let’s reopen the Disobedience Records for a second look.
Spurs vs City, FA Cup semi-final, 1955-56
“The Spurs captain, Blanchflower, made changes to the side during the cup match against City while they were losing 1-0,” writes John Tumbridge. “Switching Norman from centre-half to attack, Spurs still lost and the manager, Anderson [not that one], benched the captain for the following game and removed him of the armband. Soon after Anderson left, Nicholson took over, Blanchflower was reinstated and the outcome is legendary.”
England v Albania, World Cup qualifying, 1989
Another fan points out: “Gazza netted his maiden international goal in this 5-0 win at the national stadium after playing ‘all over the pitch’, as per manager Bobby Robson. The post-match interview are priceless – a great blend of frustration, sarcasm and paternal pride.”
Everton v Tottenham, Cup semi, the 1990s
“Everton’s last major trophy was the 1995 FA Cup, and it couldn’t have happened without a key figure,” begins Jim Hearson. “Coach Royle? No. Goalscorer in the final, Rideout? Close, but no. Keeper Neville Southall? Not him. That man was mercurial striker Daniel Amokachi, who substituted himself on during the semi-final against Spurs, netting two to earn the Toffees a place in the Wembley showpiece against Manchester United.”
Telling the tale to the media, the striker said: “Rideout got a knock and fell ... I just approached the assistant and said ‘The gaffer says you need me on’.” Royle was rightly angry at the moment, but more forgiving at the final whistle: “He entered the locker room and hugged me, shook my hand and said: ‘Well done, son, but never try that again.’”
Sporting vs Barça, Champions League group stage, 2008
During his time with Guardiola’s Barça against Sporting Lisbon, Thierry Henry decided to switch wings. He soon netted to give Barcelona the lead at half-time. Guardiola’s reaction? He hooked Henry for ignoring his instructions.”
Free-kick flurries
“As a West Ham fan, I’m often looking back at past seasons for some enjoyment,” weeps Liam Corbett. “While recently doing so, I noticed that Payet netted six set-pieces in the precious year and a half that we enjoyed him. Just wondering if there is a more prolific set-piece expert in a comparable span?”
One comes to mind: Beckham scored 27 free-kicks in his time at Manchester United, including eight over several months between 2000. His most prolific 18-month spell at the club includes the same period: from May 1999 to November 2000, Beckham netted ten set-pieces – including two brilliant strikes against the Hammers. Sorry, Liam.
If it helps, there’s a footballer now at West Ham who can better Payet’s statistics: James Ward-Prowse. The dead-ball specialist had two great runs with Southampton, netting seven set-pieces between 2019-2021 across two pandemic-interrupted campaigns. He then hit another six superb free-kicks in a ten-month period between 2022-2023.
Knowledge archive
“A friend who follows Southend insists the team once played a league game at Wembley? Is he joking?” queried Stuart Jacks in April 2012.
Ludicrously, he was correct. Southend were among two clubs – Brentford being the second – to play against Orient in Division Three (South) at Wembley back in the 1930s, owing to stadium renovations at Orient’s Lea Bridge Stadium. Club records explain further:
After a game against Torquay (a victory for Orient), officials from the Devon club complained about the boundary fence being too near to the field. The Football League was requested to inspect the ground and concluded that alterations had to be made before further matches could take place; suddenly the club found themselves homeless. Hard to believe, the national stadium was suggested and the Orient actually hosted two matches in 1930 against Brentford and Southend, winning 3-0 and 3-1 respectively. To this day the Orient is the only Football League side to have hosted matches at the iconic venue!
Since then of course, Tottenham joined Orient in playing temporarily at Wembley, albeit in the top flight. In recent weeks, talk of Arsenal upgrading the Emirates – and relocating to the national stadium while the construction occurs – has surfaced.
Can you help?
“Aubameyang netted four times and was red-carded in Gabon’s victory over Gambia recently,” writes Seb in Berlin. “Which other players have been dismissed after scoring at least three goals?”
“During Austria’s huge win of San Marino, every outfield player who began the game scored or assisted,” asks another correspondent. “Has any other team achieved this feat?”
“Of all of the players who have a statue outside the ground of their former club, who made the least amount of appearances for that team?” asks Masai Graham.
“Interestingly, Jon Dahl Tomasson is the initial coach to be sacked by {Sw
