Legendary former Leeds United striker Tony Yeboah was in the middle of a career-defining hot streak 30 years ago this week as he conducted a one-man goal of the season competition.
Daniel Farke would almost certainly give anything for a striker of Tony Yeboah’s calibre as he looks to guide Leeds to Premier League safety this season.
Leeds have failed to score from open play after three games in the 2025/26 Premier League season as Farke contemplates unleashing Noah Okafor for his first Premier League start for the club at Craven Cottage.
However, goals were not a problem for the Whites 30 years ago at the start of the 1995/96 season, as Ghanaian forward Tony Yeboah enjoyed the kind of hot streak that any striker dreams of in a brilliant month under Howard Wilkinson.
Although Yeboah is best remembered for his brilliant goals in the Premier League, he showcased his all-round abilities with a hat-trick in Europe against Monaco, as a new cult hero was born at Elland Road.
Tony Yeboah makes history with Leeds United in Europe
The 1995/96 season ultimately fizzled out for both Leeds and Yeboah; however, hopes were high as the Whites travelled to Monaco in the first round of the UEFA Cup.
Yeboah came into the game with four league goals to his name from Leeds’ opening five Premier League fixtures and continued his scoring run with a dazzling display in the south of France.
He was gifted his first goal after future World Cup winner Lilian Thuram collided with the Monaco goalkeeper, Fabien Piveteau, who dropped the ball at Yeboah’s feet to open the scoring after a speculative cross from Tony Dorigo in the third minute.
However, there was nothing lucky about Yeboah’s spectacular second goal. Collecting the ball near the right touchline, the striker cut inside to the corner of the 18-yard box before curling the ball into the top corner from outside the box to put Leeds 2-0 up shortly after the hour.
Yeboah then sent the travelling fans into ecstasy as he completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes to go. Reacting quickest to a flick on from Gary Speed, Yeboah beat the covering defender for pace before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper to score.
According to Opta’s Jonny Cooper, this remains the only hat-trick by a Ghanaian in a European competition. They were also Yeboah’s only goals in Europe for Leeds as his hot streak fizzled out.
Leeds star enjoyed a career purple patch in 1995
It is hard to overstate just how good Tony Yeboah was for Leeds in the opening six weeks of the 1995/96 season, as the Elland Road faithful quickly fell in love with him.
Between the first game of the season on the 19th August and Leeds’ home win over Sheffield Wednesday on the 30th September, Yeboah scored 11 goals, including two hat-tricks.
Whilst this is impressive enough, Yeboah also scored two of the most iconic goals in Premier League history in the process, as he volleyed home off the crossbar against Liverpool before repeating the trick against Wimbledon just weeks later.
However, Yeboah scored just four league goals between the start of October and the end of the season and fell out of favour, leaving Leeds at the end of the following season.
Few players have made such a big impression in such a short time at Elland Road. 30 years on, the Whites are crying out for their next Tony Yeboah.
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