In the English game of soccer, one can score a goal by putting the ball in the back of the net. When a player scores twice in a single game, it is called a brace.
To qualify as a brace, the goals don’t need to be scored consecutively. Even if a player scores one goal in the first half and another in the second half, it counts as a brace, even if other goals were scored in between.
WHO ELSE? š¦š·š
Messi scores a brace for #InterMiamiCF #beINSPORTS
ā beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 3, 2023
Goals via penalty kicks in normal 90 minutes or extra time do count. However, goals in a penalty shootout after extra time don’t count for a brace.
Origin of Brace
The origin of the term “brace” in soccer is unclear. Some theories link it to hunters describing a pair of shot animals. Others suggest it came from the Old English term for killing two animals while hunting, or the Anglo-French term for a pair of arms. The hunting context fits well with the English game as players ‘hunt’ for goals.
Regardless of its origins, “brace” is widely used in soccer jargon to celebrate a player’s two-goal feat in a match. For instance, if Cristiano Ronaldo scores two goals in a match for Al-Nassr against Al-Ettihad, it’s considered a brace.
A notable example of a brace unfolded when Lionel Messi scored a brace against France in the 2022 World Cup Final. It’s worth mentioning that he added another goal during the penalty shootout. However, despite this additional goal, the brace remained a brace, not transforming into a hat trick. In those two goals he scored during normal and extra time, one was a penalty, which still counted towards his brace achievement.
š | Players with Most Braces(2 goals in a game) in Football history :
š„Leo Messi – 212
š„Cristiano Ronaldo – 211#InterMiamiCF #Messišµ pic.twitter.com/OBkxdvVFdTā PSG Chief (@psg_chief) August 3, 2023
A brace signifies an exceptional performance, but it falls short of the awe-inspiring feat of a hat trick. The hat trick entails scoring three goals. When a player scores four goals in a match, it is known as a ‘haul,’ while netting five goals is unofficially termed a ‘glut.’
Players with the most braces in soccer
The player with the most braces in all competitions remains uncertain based on the data. Nevertheless, by examining stats from various competitions, we can identify players who have excelled in scoring braces at a remarkable rate.
On the grand stage of the World Cup, the player with the most braces is the Brazilian, Ronaldo Nazario de Lima. He boasts an impressive four braces to his name.
In the UEFA Champions League, the most competitive European tournament, Cristiano Ronaldo stands out. The Portuguese star boasts an impressive 38 braces in his 183 Champions League appearances.
Meanwhile, in Spain’s La Liga, Lionel Messi holds the record for the most braces, having scored 116 braces during his time with FC Barcelona.
In the realm of English soccer, Alan Shearer holds a record for scoring ten braces in a single season in 1993/94. In that season, he netted an impressive 31 league goals. It is essential to note that Shearer achieved these goals over a 42-game season, having four additional matches to bolster his tally.
As the Premier League adopted a 38-game format, four players have managed to score nine braces in a single term. Kevin Phillips accomplished this for Sunderland in the 1999/00 season, followed by Thierry Henry achieving the same feat in 2005/06. Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo registered nine braces in the 2007/08 season. While Liverpool’s Luis Suarez also scored two goals in a match on nine different occasions during the 2013/14 season.
As per the overall record in all competitions, at the time of writing. some reports have been flying around that claim Lionel Messi has 212 Braces followed closely by Cristiano Ronaldo at 211. However, the legitimacy of these claims is not clear.
In the record books, it’s worth noting that when counting braces, two or more goals are considered. Thus, if a player scores a hat trick or a haul in a match, that particular match will also be included in the tally for counting a brace during the season.
