The Brazilian national football team remains without a World Cup hat-trick scorer since the legendary Pele achieved the feat nearly seven decades ago. Pele's last World Cup hat-trick came during the 1958 tournament, when he was a teenager, scoring three goals against France in the semi-finals. Since then, no player wearing the iconic yellow jersey has managed to replicate this achievement on football’s biggest stage.

Pele’s 1958 hat-trick marked Brazil’s third in World Cup finals history, following goals by Leonidas da Silva in 1938 and Ademir de Menezes in 1950. Despite Brazil’s record five World Cup titles, the absence of a hat-trick scorer is a striking anomaly given the wealth of attacking talent the nation has produced over the years.

Some of the game’s most famous and prolific Brazilian players—including Jairzinho, Rivelino, Romario, Ronaldo Nazario, Tostao, Bebeto, Careca, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Zico—have all contributed vital goals for their country, yet none managed to net three times in a single World Cup match. Even Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, who has amassed 79 goals internationally, has yet to score a World Cup hat-trick.

The 2026 tournament has seen several Brazilian players come close to breaking the long-standing drought. In the group stage, Vinicius Jr scored twice against Scotland and appeared visibly frustrated at missing opportunities that could have secured him a hat-trick. Earlier, Matheus Cunha, now with Manchester United, also scored a brace in Brazil’s win over Haiti, narrowly missing out on a third goal. Neymar has returned to fitness and made a brief appearance in Brazil’s final group match against Scotland, keeping alive hope that he might yet end the drought.

Brazil will face Japan in the round of 32 in Houston, where head coach Carlo Ancelotti will look to guide the five-time champions through to the next stage. While a hat-trick would be a remarkable milestone, the immediate focus remains firmly on advancing in the tournament.

The enduring absence of a Brazilian World Cup hat-trick remains a curious footnote in football history given the nation’s considerable success and rich tradition of exceptional forwards. For many fans, the memory of Pele’s 1958 feat continues to symbolize football excellence and a record that has defied the passing of time.