Knowing what 4 goals in soccer is called is actually pretty useful if you want to sound like you know your stuff during a match. Most of us are familiar with the "hat-trick," but once a player moves past that third goal, the terminology starts to get a bit more interesting and, depending on where you live, a little bit confusing.
If you're watching an English broadcast, you'll most likely hear the commentator scream about a "haul." If you're watching a game in Spain or reading a report from a Spanish journalist, they'll call it a "poker." It's one of those quirks of the beautiful game where the language changes even though the achievement is just as impressive regardless of the name.
Why is it called a haul?
In most English-speaking football circles, referring to four goals as a "haul" is the standard. It's not a fancy term, and it doesn't have a deep, mystical origin story like the hat-trick does. It's more of a descriptive word. Think about it like a fisherman bringing in a big catch or someone finding a "haul" of treasure. It implies that the player has collected a significant amount of something—in this case, goals.
Using the word "haul" feels very natural in a sports context because it highlights the sheer volume of the achievement. Scoring one goal is hard. Scoring two is a great day. Scoring three is legendary. But scoring four? That's a massive "haul" of goals for a single afternoon's work. You won't find it in an official FIFA rulebook, but if you use it at the pub, everyone will know exactly what you're talking about.
The European flair: Calling it a "Poker"
If you venture into the world of La Liga or Serie A, you'll find that what 4 goals in soccer is called changes to something a bit more stylish: the Poker. This is especially common in Spanish (póker de goles) and Italian media.
It's generally believed that the term comes from the card game. In poker, "four of a kind" is a incredibly strong hand, often referred to simply as "poker" in many European languages. It makes sense when you think about it. Just like having four Aces in your hand is a rare and dominant position, having four goals in your stats column for a single game is a dominant performance on the pitch.
There's something a bit more sophisticated about calling it a poker. It sounds intentional and strategic, whereas a "haul" sounds a bit more like a lucky collection. Both are right, but the "poker" definitely has that continental European flair.
What about the "Quat-trick"?
Every now and then, you might hear someone try to make "quat-trick" happen. It's a play on the word "hat-trick," using the "quat" prefix for four. Let's be honest, though—hardly anyone actually says this. It feels a bit forced and a little too "math-class" for the chaos of a soccer stadium.
While technically it follows the logic of how we name things, it just hasn't caught on with fans or commentators. If you use it, you might get a few side-eyes. Stick to haul or poker if you want to stay in the good graces of your fellow supporters.
How rare is it to score four goals?
To put it bluntly, it's ridiculously rare. To see what 4 goals in soccer is called in action, you usually have to be watching a truly world-class player on a very good day, or a massive mismatch between a giant club and a struggling underdog.
Think about the physical toll of a 90-minute match. By the time a player has scored two or three goals, the opposing defenders are usually doing everything in their power—legal or otherwise—to stop them. The tactical shift usually means the scoring player is double-teamed or marked out of the game. To find the space and the energy to put a fourth ball in the back of the net requires a level of focus that most players just can't maintain.
Some legendary "Poker" moments
We can't talk about this without mentioning some of the guys who have made it look easy. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both scored four goals in a single game multiple times. In fact, Ronaldo has done it so often that people almost stopped being surprised by it.
One of the most famous examples of someone going beyond the hat-trick happened in the Premier League back in 2009 when Andrey Arshavin scored four for Arsenal against Liverpool at Anfield. It was one of those "lightning in a bottle" moments. Every time he touched the ball, it seemed to end up in the net.
Then there's Robert Lewandowski. While he eventually went on to score five, his fourth goal against Wolfsburg in 2015 came during a stretch where he scored five goals in just nine minutes. That's a "poker" and then some, achieved in less time than it takes to boil an egg.
The psychological impact on the game
When a player reaches that fourth goal, the atmosphere in the stadium changes completely. There's a specific kind of "hush" that falls over the opposing fans. It's no longer about a competitive match; it's about witnessing a masterpiece—or a disaster, depending on who you support.
For the player, scoring four is often a "zone" experience. Athletes talk about the game slowing down, and for someone on the verge of a haul, the goal probably looks ten feet wider than it actually is. They aren't overthinking the mechanics; they're just reacting.
Comparing the terms: Brace, Hat-trick, and Haul
To get a better grip on why we care what 4 goals in soccer is called, it helps to see where it fits in the hierarchy:
- 1 Goal: Just a goal. (Still pretty cool, though).
- 2 Goals: A "brace." This comes from old hunting terminology where a "brace" referred to a pair of birds.
- 3 Goals: A "hat-trick." This is the most famous one, originating from cricket where a bowler who took three wickets in a row was given a literal hat by their club.
- 4 Goals: A "haul" or a "poker."
- 5 Goals: A "glut" or, in Spanish, a "repóker."
As you can see, once you pass the hat-trick, the names get a bit more obscure. Most fans stop counting and just start screaming.
Why don't we have a more universal name?
Soccer is a global game, but it grew up in pockets. The way people talk about the sport in London is different from how they talk about it in Buenos Aires or Madrid. Because scoring four goals is so rare, there was never a massive push to "brand" it the same way the hat-trick was branded.
The hat-trick is special because it's the benchmark. It's the one everyone aims for. Four goals is seen as "overachieving," so the language used to describe it remained a bit more informal and localized. Whether you call it a haul or a poker, the respect you get from the fans is the same.
Final thoughts on the four-goal feat
At the end of the day, whether you call it a haul or a poker doesn't change the fact that you've just seen something incredible. Soccer is a low-scoring sport by nature. Many games end 0-0 or 1-0. When a single individual manages to find the net four times, they've essentially outscored entire teams' monthly outputs in just 90 minutes.
So, the next time you're watching a game and a striker is on a rampage, you can confidently tell your friends that what 4 goals in soccer is called is a haul—or a poker if you're feeling a bit more international. Just don't call it a "quat-trick" unless you want to be the person everyone ignores for the rest of the half!