Jyoti Chauhan, an Indian women’s football player, has gone in the history books as the first footballer from India to score a hat-trick in the European top division. She achieved this feat in the Croatian Women’s First Football League, during the final league game of the season while playing for Dinamo Zagreb against ZNK Agram.
The 23-year-old got her first goal in the 28th minute, while her second goal came soon after in the 37th minute. Early in the second half, in the 46th minute, Chauhan got her third goal to complete a monumental hat-trick. With her three goals, Zagreb was able to defeat Agram by 4-1.
Earlier, in March this year, Jyoti Chauhan became the first footballer from India to score a goal in the Croatia Women’s First Football League for Dinamo Zagreb in the 89th minute of the game, to help them defeat Rijeka by 4-0. Since then, she got a regular spot in the playing XI to finish up the league season with 9 goals.
Before signing for Dinamo Zagreb for a year-long contract ahead of the 2022-23 season, Jyoti Chauhan, along with Soumya Guguloth, were invited to trial at the club. “Women in Sports,” organised the trial, which was attended by the assistant coach Mia Medvedoski, who selected both former footballers from Gokulam Kerala FC in the Indian Women’s League.
Talking about Jyoti Chauhan's background, she hails from Sardarpur village in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. At 12 years of age, she lost her father. Since then, her mother took care of the entire family, while working as a labourer in the field of agriculture.