On A Day Like Today: Villa's rapid-fire first hat trick

On April 23rd, 2006, David Villa scored his first hat trick in a Valencia CF shirt. The treble of goals remains one of the fastest in the history of LaLiga, at just 4 minutes and 46 seconds.

“I’ve never scored so many goals in so little time,” exclaimed ‘El Guaje’ after the match against Athletic Club at the old San Mamés, where he helped Valencia CF to a win that took them second in the league table.

The game had been heading for a 0-0 draw, until the striker opened the scoring off a long ball from Miguel Ángel Angulo, controlling well and finishing through the legs of Athletic’s Lafuente.

Two minutes later, he rushed between two defenders in the central channel to receive a pass from Rubén Baraja, rounding the goalkeeper and sliding the ball home.

To close his hat trick, the Asturian finished into an empty net from a Mista assist.

Villa had joined the club that season from Real Zaragoza, and exceeded even the lofty expectations Valencia CF had for him. He would end his first campaign with 28 goals, challenging eventual ‘Pichichi’ winner Samuel Eto’o for the honour of being top marksman in Spain.

At Real Zaragoza he had previously scored four goals in a single game, against Sevilla FC (April 25th, 2004). The three he scored at San Mamés marked his second hat trick of his top flight career.