- Loftus-Cheek is the first academy player to a score hat-trick since 1982.
- Also the first Chelsea player to score a European hat-trick since 2006.
- READ MORE: These Chelsea fans loved Loftus-Cheek’s hat-trick vs. BATE
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the first Chelsea academy product to bag a hat-trick for the Blues since 1982. If you can name the player who scored that before you reach the bottom of the article, you’re a true Blue (even we had no idea).
Loftus-Cheek notched a hat-trick against Belarusian champions BATE in the Europa League on Thursday evening to help Chelsea maintain their 100% record in the competition this season.
After the speculation surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge since the summer transfer window closed, Loftus-Cheek needed to make a statement in order to reaffirm his status as a member of Maurizio Sarri’s squad. He did, and how.
Ruben is the first Chelsea player to score a hat-trick in a Europan competition since Didier Drogba way back in 2006, but that’s not even the most impressive thing about it.
Not since Clive Walker in 1982 has a Chelsea academy product scored three goals in a game for the club. That was revealed by the reliable Rick Glanvill. Incredible!
Clive Walker Grimsby 1982
— Rick Glanvill (@RickGlanvill) October 25, 2018
