Robert Lewandowski produced a masterclass performance in Warsaw, scoring a memorable hat-trick to lead Poland to a resounding 6-0 victory over Romania in the UEFA Nations League while breaking a long-standing record held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
At 38 years and 42 days old, the Polish captain became the oldest player in UEFA Nations League history to score a hat-trick. The record was previously held by Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored three goals against Switzerland in 2019 at the age of 34 years and 120 days.
Poland took control of the match from the opening whistle, pressing high and pinning Romania back into their own half. The visitors suffered a major blow midway through the first half when defender Radu Drăgușin committed a foul on Lewandowski inside the penalty area, receiving a direct red card.
Capitalising on the numerical advantage, Lewandowski stepped up to convert the resulting spot-kick in the 24th minute, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. The strike marked his 90th international goal for Poland and set the tone for a dominant team performance.
The hosts doubled down on their attacking intensity immediately after the interval. In the 47th minute, Nicola Zalewski sliced through the Romanian defence before delivering a precise pass to Lewandowski, who finished calmly from close range.
Romania struggled to stem the tide as Poland continued to relentless attack. An own goal by the visitor’s defence further compounded Romania’s misery, whilst midfielders Piotr Zieliński and Jan Bednarek also found the back of the net to extend the lead.
Lewandowski sealed his record-breaking night in the 86th minute, completing his hat-trick with a composed strike to cap off a commanding 6-0 triumph for the national team.
The treble took Lewandowski’s career tally to 92 international goals, further cementing his stature among the greatest goalscorers in European football history. He currently sits third on the list of all-time top European international scorers, trailing only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku.
