Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud became the oldest player to score a Champions League hat-trick as he scored four goals to help the blues destroy Sevilla 4-0 and guarantee top spot in Group E.
The France international had endured a frustrating campaign at the club, with summer signing Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham ahead of him in the pecking order.
But with Frank Lampard resting Werner and Abraham against Sevilla, Giroud was given the chance to impress from the very start and he produced an outstanding performance in Spain.
Giroud put Chelsea ahead with a left-footed finish from inside the box on eight minutes, before scoring another goal after half-time with a chip with his right foot.
The 34-year-old completed ‘the perfect hat-trick’ on 74 minutes with a header from N’Golo Kante’s cross, before scoring a fourth goal late on from the penalty spot.
By scoring four goals for the London side, Giroud became the oldest player in the history of the Champions League to score a hat-trick, while he is the oldest player to do so in the European Cup since Real Madrid’s Ferenc Puskas in 1965.
Giroud said: ‘When you win 4-0 in the Champions League, it’s a good feeling. It was a great performance from the team.
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Giroud is the second player to score four goals for Chelsea in a European match after Peter Osgood scored five in a 13-0 victory over UN Kaerjeng in the Cup Winners’ Cup first round in 1971.
He is also just the second player to score a Champions League hat-trick for multiple Premier League teams after Michael Owen did so for Liverpool and Manchester United.
