<div>
<p>Former Inter Miami star</p>
<div>
<p>
<img alt="Diego Gómez scores four goals in the EFL Cup, joining an illustrious list" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/diego-gomez-1758673149-178473.jpg" title="Diego Gómez scores four goals in the EFL Cup, joining an illustrious list">
</p>
<p><span>©IMAGO</span></p>
</div>
<p>History was made when Brighton triumphed over Barnsley 6-0 in the EFL Cup's third round on Tuesday night, with 7,790 fans in attendance at Oakwell Road. Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gómez netted his hat-trick with a stunning strike in the 33rd minute, a goal that will be long remembered. Gómez added two more goals (9’, 21’, & 68’) for a phenomenal individual performance.</p>
<br>
<p>Seven minutes after scoring his fourth goal, Gómez was substituted by manager Fabian Hürzeler. However, Brighton's scoring wasn't finished. Harry Howell, who replaced Gómez, scored the fifth goal in the 87th minute, and Yasin Ayari capped off the match with another goal in the 89th minute.</p>
<br>
<div>
<p>Club Comparison</p>
<div>
<p>League One</p>
<p>Premier League</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Market Value: €8.08m</p>
<p>Market Value: €462.10m</p>
</div>
<br>
<div>
<p>League Level: Third Tier</p>
<p>League Level: First Tier</p>
</div>
<br>
<div>
<p>Expenditures 25/26: €80.00m</p>
</div>
<br>
<div>
<p>Managers: Conor Hourihane</p>
<p>Managers: Fabian Hürzeler</p>
</div>
<br>
<p><span>Full Club Comparison</span></p>
</div>
<p>While the outcome of the match was impressive, it was Gómez's outstanding performance and his third goal, in particular, that dominated the post-match discussions. "We knew he had an amazing shot, but he truly showcased it today,” remarked Brighton’s German manager. “We are thrilled for him as he consistently puts in the effort to improve his skills daily.”</p>
<br>
<h2>A Milestone! Midfielder Gómez Makes History in English Football</h2>
<br>
<p>Gómez's remarkable four-goal achievement against Barnsley is a rarity in English football. Since 2000, only 12 midfielders have managed to score four goals in any of the Premier League, EFL Cup, or FA Cup matches. The graphic below highlights that the former Inter Miami CF midfielder is in esteemed company, joining legends like Cole Palmer, Frank Lampard (who achieved this twice), Kevin De Bruyne, Heung-min Son, Georginio Wijnaldum, Andrey Arshavin, and Júlio Baptista. This performance is significant for Gómez, who joined Brighton from Major League Soccer in January and has, thus far, played 915 minutes over 25 matches across all competitions.</p>
<br>
<p>
<img alt="Poker masters - Diego Gómez joins an impressive group" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/poker-masters-diego-gomez-scores-four-for-brighton-1758674873-178474.png?lm=1758674890" title="Poker masters - Diego Gómez joins an impressive group" width="503">
</p>
<br>
<p>His manager firmly believes that Gómez has the potential to display his abilities on a more consistent basis. "He is a tremendous talent," Hürzeler expressed. "His goals contributed significantly to our cohesion, particularly in the second half when we played exceptional football and created numerous opportunities. Just yesterday, we had a finishing drill, and everyone scored some fantastic goals. We joked about needing to do this before every game now." For those who have closely followed Gómez's career, they'll remember his propensity for scoring similar goals for his national team and during his time in MLS. The next step in his journey is to continue demonstrating that skill regularly for Brighton.</p>
</div>