For Germany, September means the start of qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26™. Led by coach Julian Nagelsmann, they will take on Slovakia (4 September) and Northern Ireland (7 September). The latter of those fixtures is one that holds fond memories for many German fans.
It was against Northern Ireland that the nation carved out a piece of World Cup qualifier history. On 20 August 1997, Oliver Bierhoff bagged a hat-trick in the space of just seven minutes away to Northern Ireland in a preliminary for France 1998. It remains the fastest hat-trick ever scored for the German senior men’s team.
Following Bierhoff’s legendary golden goal the previous year, Germany went into qualification for the 1998 World Cup as reigning European champions, but by the late summer of 1997, the elation of victory over Czechia in the final at Wembley had already begun to subside.
For the qualifiers, Germany found themselves in Group 9 alongside Northern Ireland, Ukraine, Armenia, Portugal and Albania – not exactly a walk in the park, but much was expected of a team that included world-class footballers like Jurgen Klinsmann, Andreas Moller, Thomas Hassler and Bierhoff himself.
Germany had a mixed start, with victories over Armenia (5-1), Albania (3-2) and Ukraine (2-0), but draws against Portugal (0-0), Ukraine (0-0) and Northern Ireland (1-1). Coach Berti Vogts took his squad to Belfast for a return fixture that his side would have to win if they were to move to the top of their group and hold off the stiff competition of Portugal and Ukraine. But their evening didn’t exactly get off to a dream start.
In a goalless first half in front of 12,000 raucous fans at Windsor Park, the Germans looked devoid of imagination and vulnerable at the back. After changing ends, the Northern Irish took the lead in the 59th minute through Michael Hughes, who had been impressive all game. It was just reward for the supposed underdogs and their spirited performance up to that point. By contrast, Germany’s performance had not exactly been one to remember.
Vogts reacted by first sending on Hassler for Christian Worns in the 64th minute, and then Bierhoff for Ulf Kirsten six minutes later. These inspired substitutions would turn the game on its head, and what transpired in the minutes that followed would go down in German footballing history. Just three minutes after entering the fray, Bierhoff combined with the flair and pinpoint passing of Hassler to kick off his goal spree.
In the 73rd minute, Bierhoff met a low cross from his team-mate in the Northern Irish six-yard box and slotted the ball under the bar for the equaliser. Five minutes later, he fired home first time following another pass from Hassler close to the edge of the penalty area to make it 2-1. Just one minute later, he completed his quick-fire hat trick in true goal-getter style.
For the third time, Hassler was responsible for the assist as he swung a deep cross into the Northern Irish 18-yard box from the edge of the penalty area. Bierhoff appeared out of nowhere at the back post and nudged the ball over the line to round out the final 3-1 scoreline. In the space of just seven minutes, Bierhoff had turned the game completely in Germany’s favour.
But his hat-trick did more than set a symbolic record – the ramifications were vital for his team. Germany’s victory earned them three crucial points in the race to qualify directly for the World Cup. Following another draw against Portugal (1-1) and victories over Armenia (4-0) and Albania (4-3), the team finished the qualifiers top of their group on 22 points, just pipping Ukraine (20 points) and Portugal (19 points) and sending them straight through to the World Cup finals in France.
Without Bierhoff’s goals in Belfast, the race might have been even tighter than it was. Second-placed Ukraine were forced into a play-off, which they lost to Davor Suker’s Croatia – the same team that would ultimately knock Germany out of the 1998 World Cup at the quarter-final stage.
In terms of pure statistics, Bierhoff’s hat-trick remains unequalled to this day. No German player has ever scored three goals faster for the senior national side. But it wasn’t just the speed of the hat-trick that was so impressive, it was also Bierhoff’s efficiency: three touches in the penalty area, three goals – and all as a substitute.
