Ermedin Demirović authored a historic night in a VfB Stuttgart shirt, scoring a sensational hat-trick against Norwegian side Viking FK in the opening fixture of their UEFA Champions League campaign.
The Bosnian striker needed just over half an hour to power Stuttgart into a 3–1 lead, capitalizing on an intense attacking display from the German side in front of their home supporters.
Demirović opened the scoring in the 20th minute, added his second just six minutes later, and completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute—stopping the clock at precisely 31 minutes and 21 seconds from kickoff.
The 28-year-old’s treble stands as the fifth-earliest hat-trick from the start of a match in Champions League history. He also became the first player in Stuttgart’s history to score a hat-trick in Europe’s premier club competition.
With his performance, Demirović took his tally to 4 European goals for Stuttgart, taking sole possession of first place on the club’s all-time Champions League scoring chart ahead of Mario Gómez and Kevin Kurányi, who sit on 3 goals each.
The Bosnian forward had been close to leaving Stuttgart during the summer transfer window after the club negotiated a deal with Galatasaray worth €18 million plus €2 million in add-ons. However, Demirović rejected the Turkish offer and opted to stay despite a lucrative salary proposal.
His decision was rooted in his comfort within the squad, his deep connection to the club and city, and the strong public backing of manager Sebastian Hoeneß, with his current contract running through June 2028.
Demirović has enjoyed a flying start to the campaign, scoring off the bench in Stuttgart’s 4–1 Bundesliga win over Köln before delivering his European hat-trick, bringing his tally to 4 goals this season and vindicating his decision to remain in Germany.
