Yes, Lionel Messi has scored 5 goals in a single professional match — exactly once, and it came during a dominant Champions League performance for Barcelona.
The only time Messi scored 5 goals
On March 7, 2012, Lionel Messi scored five goals in a 7–1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Playing at Camp Nou, he completed his haul by the 68th minute, becoming the first player in Champions League history to score five goals in a single match. The game sealed Barcelona’s 10–3 aggregate win, but it’s remembered most for Messi’s flawless finishing.
How the goals unfolded
Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a left-footed curler from outside the box. He added a penalty in the 31st minute, then completed his first-half hat-trick with a precise strike using his right foot after combining with Xavi. In the second half, he scored twice more from close range, both resulting from well-constructed team moves. He took six shots, five of which found the net.
Rarity of five-goal performances in top football
Scoring five goals in a top-level match is extremely rare. In the Champions League, only three players have done it: Messi, Luiz Adriano (2014), and Erling Haaland (2023). Haaland and Adriano achieved it in the group stage, while Messi did it in a knockout round. In La Liga, no other player has scored five in a match in the modern era. Even prolific scorers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski have never reached five goals in a single Champions League or league game.
Messi’s closest attempts in other competitions
Messi has never matched this feat in any other match for club or country. His highest tally in an international game is four goals, which he scored for Argentina against Ecuador in a 2013 World Cup qualifier. He has recorded multiple hat-tricks and a few four-goal games, including one against Espanyol in 2017, but never another five-goal performance. Youth or unofficial matches do not include verified five-goal tallies.
Why this performance stands out
Messi’s five goals came against a Bundesliga side that finished second in Germany that season. The speed and efficiency of his scoring — five goals in 44 minutes, underscore the dominance. Modern defensive organization, goalkeeper quality, and tactical discipline make such performances nearly impossible today. His ability to finish clinically from limited chances, outperforming expected goal models, highlights his unique talent.