Robert Lewandowski delivered an extraordinary performance in Warsaw, scoring a brilliant hat-trick to propel Poland to an emphatic 6-0 victory over Romania in the UEFA Nations League whilst breaking a historic record previously 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 asserted dominance from the opening whistle, pressing high and forcing the visitors onto the back foot. Romania suffered a decisive setback midway through the first half when defender Radu Drăgușin committed a foul on Lewandowski inside the penalty box, prompting the referee to issue a direct red card.
Capitalising on the numerical advantage, Lewandowski stepped up to convert the resulting spot-kick in the 24th minute with a calm finish. The strike marked his 90th international goal for Poland and established early momentum for the host nation.
The Polish side intensified their attacking pressure immediately after the interval. In the 47th minute, Nicola Zalewski sliced through the Romanian defense before delivering a precise pass to Lewandowski, who finished neatly from close range.
Romania struggled to contain the relentless attacks as Poland expanded their lead. An own goal by the visitor’s defense compounded Romania’s difficulties, whilst midfielders Piotr Zieliński and Jan Bednarek each scored to push the scoreline further out of reach.
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 side.
The treble took Lewandowski’s career total to 92 international goals, further consolidating his standing among the elite goalscorers in European football history. He currently sits third on the list of all-time top European international goalscorers, trailing only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku.
