Only three players in the history of football have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final — and Sir Geoff Hurst, the first of them, says he has no issue with sharing that distinction.

Hurst achieved the feat in the 1966 World Cup final, going on to stand alone in men's football for 49 years. American Carli Lloyd matched the achievement in the 2015 Women's World Cup final, before Kylian Mbappe became just the second man to join Hurst when he scored all three of France's goals in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup final — a match France ultimately lost on penalties.

Two reasons Hurst didn't mind

Speaking to FourFourTwo, Hurst explained why watching Mbappe's historic treble left him unmoved. "Watching Mbappe decades later, I can honestly say I didn't care," he said. "One, because two of his were penalties, which makes it different from mine."

His second reason was even more telling. "But, more importantly, because he ended up on the losing side," Hurst added. "I'm sure if you'd ask Mbappe he'd have swapped his hat-trick for a winner's medal."

A life-changing moment in 1966

For Hurst, his own hat-trick carries a weight that goes far beyond statistics. "That final in '66 was so utterly life changing," he told the magazine. "I still bump into people that tell me they were there that day, or can recall where they watched the game or who they were with when my final goal went in."

"It was the biggest game in the world and I pulled off something special — so it means a huge amount to me, obviously," he said.

Drinks on the house? Not quite

Hurst also addressed the popular notion that his legendary status has kept him in free drinks for six decades. He laughed off the idea with characteristic modesty.

"I wouldn't say they queue up, but people do offer to buy a drink for me from time to time," he said. "Not on a regular basis, or as often as people may think. It's very flattering and very nice that people want to do that, but I always refuse. It's weird in a way, a complete stranger coming up to me, offering to buy me a pint, so I never accept."