Top 10 Fastest Goals in Football History
The top 10 fastest goals in football history were scored in the blink of an eye, but who scored these incredible goals?
All 10 of the fastest goals in men's football history were scored between two and four seconds after kick-off.
None of the top 10 goals were scored in any of Europe’s ‘Big Five Leagues’ or at any major international football tournament.
Interestingly, the top five goals were all scored in less than three seconds, but the next five were within three and four seconds.
However, for context, football pitches do not have a standard size, which means some of the fastest goals listed here benefit from being played on smaller pitches.
Smaller football fields mean the ball travels a shorter distance before reaching the goal.
SportsBoom looks at the quickest men's goals scored in football history, not from how far out they were scored.
Top 10 Fastest Goals in Football History
Rank | Player | Year | Match | Time / Seconds |
1 | Gavin Stokes | 2017 | Maryhill v Clydebank | 2.1s |
2 | Vuk Bakic | 2012 | GSP Polet v FK Dorćol | 2.2s |
3 | 2024 | 2.31s | ||
4 | Dominik Nagy | 2024 | 2.4 sec | |
5 | Jack Lyons | 2023 | 2.52s | |
6 | 2004 | Cowes Sports Res. v Eastleigh Res. | 2.56s | |
7 | 1993 | Portsmouth Cup | 2.8s | |
Ricardo Olivera | 1998 | Rio Negro Capital v Soriano Interior | 2.8s | |
9 | Carlos Almeida | 2011 | Oliveira do Hospital v Associação Atlética de Arganil | 3s |
Megan Searson | 2016 | UoMA Maurauders v Minnesota Crookstown | 3s | |
Edson López | 2024 | Sociedad de Tiro 28 v Club Sport Social Villa de Pasco | 3s |
Fastest Goal Scored in Football History
Gavin Stokes scored the fastest goal in football history. His lightning strike took 2.1 seconds to cross the goal line from the moment the referee started the match.
Stokes’ stunning halfway line drive happened during a non-League Maryhill vs Clydebank game at Lochburn Park in 2017.
His goal was scored for Maryhill in a Scottish Super League First Division match in Glasgow.
There was, however, a quicker recorded goal scored by Nawaf Al-Abed in 2009. Al-Abed, playing for Al-Hilal against Al-Shoulla in Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal U-21 Cup, netted after two seconds.
The status of Al-Abed's goal is disputed because the match was declared void due to ineligible players.
Several players over the age of 23 were found to have played in the age restricted game, so the record is invalid.
This gives Stokes the outright record for quickest to score in football history, professional or amateur.
Unfortunately, Stokes tragically lost his life at the age of 30, in October 2022, after a car accident in Glasgow.
Image Credits: Ardfern // CC BY-SA 4.0
Fastest goals in Premier League History
Shane Long scored the fastest Premier League goal ever for Southampton in 2019.
The Saints' striker hit the back of the net after 7.69 seconds against Watford in England's top flight.
Long's strike is far behind the 10 fastest goals ever, but still impressive, nonetheless.
Jay Rodriguez holds the record for scoring in the opening 15 seconds of two Premier League matches.
He scored both goals for different clubs 10 years apart.
Rank | Goal Scorer | Fixture | Year | Time / Seconds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Shane Long | Southampton v Watford | 2019 | 7.69s |
2 | Philip Billing | Arsenal v Bournemouth | 2023 | 9.11s |
3 | Ledley King | Bradford City v Tottenham Hotspur | 2000 | 9.82s |
4 | Alan Shearer | Newcastle United v Manchester City | 2003 | 10.52 |
5 | Christian Eriksen | Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United | 2018 | 10.54s |
6 | Mark Viduka | Charlton Athletic v Leeds United | 2001 | 11.90s |
7 | Dwight Yorke | Coventry City v Aston Villa | 1995 | 12.16s |
8 | Chris Sutton | Everton v Blackburn Rovers | 1995 | 12.94s |
9 | Kevin Nolan | Blackburn Rovers v Bolton | 2004 | 13.48s |
10 | James Beattie | Southampton v Chelsea | 2004 | 13.52s |
Rodriguez's quickest strike came for Southampton against Chelsea in 2013 after 13.68 seconds.
His second came in 2023 for Burnley versus Sheffield United after 15.8 seconds.
Both Rodriguez's goals are not in the top 10 fastest in Premier League history.
James Beattie scored after 13.52 seconds for Southampton against Chelsea in 2004.
Beattie's strike makes him the 10-fastest Premier League goal scorer in history.
Image Credits: Michael Hofmann // CC BY-SA 3.0
Fastest Champions League goals in History
Holland’s Roy Makaay scored the quickest goal in UEFA Champions League history.
Makaay netted after 10.12 seconds for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in 2007.
The Dutchman’s strike, however, is not quick enough to fall inside the top 10 fastest goals of all-time list.
Top 5 Fastest Goals in Champions League History
Rank | Goal Scorer | Fixture | Year | Time / Seconds |
1 | Roy Makaay | Bayern Munich v Real Madrid | 2007 | 10.12s |
2 | Jonas | Valencia v Bayer Leverkusen | 2011 | 10.96s |
3 | Gilberto Silva | PSV v Arsenal | 2002 | 20.07s |
4 | Alessandro Del Piero | Manchester United v Juventus | 1997 | 20.12s |
5 | Clarence Seedorf | Schalke v AC Milan | 2005 | 21.06s |
Fastest Goals in World League and Cup Football
Gareth Morris scored the fastest-ever recorded goal in the FA Cup in 2001.\Morris scored for Ashton United versus Skelmersdale United four seconds after kick-off.
It is recorded as the fastest goal ever scored in the FA Cup because of the lack of records dating back to the formation of the competition.
This makes other records impossible to verify, so Morris takes top spot in England’s famous cup competition.
This means Morris’ goal is the also the fastest scored in the world’s oldest football competition.
Kris Boyd scored the fastest goal in Scottish Premiership history in 2016.
The forward scored for Kilmarnock against Ross Country after 10 seconds in East Ayrshire.
Boyd's strike remains the quickest top-flight goal in Scottish professional football, but the goal does not rank in the top 10 fastest in history.
The fastest goal in the Bundesliga is held by two players and was set in 2014 and 2015.
Bayer Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi scored against Borussia Dortmund after nine seconds in 2014.
But Kevin Volland repeated Bellarabi's feat. Volland also struck after nine seconds for Hoffenheim against Bayern Munich in 2015.
The record-fastest goal in La Liga is quicker than Long's Premier League goal and Bellarabi and Volland’s strikes in Germany.
Joseba Llorente scored after 7.22 seconds for Real Valladolid against Espanyol in Spain in 2008.
The Serie A record belongs to AC Milan striker Rafael Leao.
Leao bagged the quickest-ever goal in Italy's top flight, which is faster than England, Germany, and Spain’s recorded goals.
Leao took 6.2 seconds to score against Sassuolo at Mapei Stadium in 2020.
Felix Suarez, playing for Alianza Lima, netted the fastest goal scored in Copa Libertadores history against Colombian side Independiente Santa Fe.
Suarez slotted his goal after only 6.1 seconds in 1976, one split-second faster than Leao’s Serie A strike.
All these players' astounding feats do not come close to the 10 fastest goals in football history, all of which were scored inside four seconds.
For more features, guides, and the latest news in the world of football, stay connected to SportsBoom.com.
Top 10 Fastest Goals in FIFA World Cup History
Player | Country | Time | Opponent | Round | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hakan Suker | Turkey | 10.8 seconds | Korea Republic | Third Place | 2002 |
Vaclav Masek | Czechoslovakia | 16 seconds | Mexico | Group League | 1962 |
Ernst Lehner | Germany | 24 seconds | Austria | Third Place | 1934 |
Bryan Robson | England | 27 seconds | France | Group League | 1982 |
Clint Dempsey | USA | 30 seconds | Ghana | Group League | 2014 |
Emile Veinante | France | 35 seconds | Belgium | Group League | 1938 |
Arne Nyberg | Sweden | 35 seconds | Hungary | Semi-final | 1938 |
Bernard Lacombe | France | 37 seconds | Italy | Group League | 1978 |
Florian Albert | Hungary | 50 seconds | Bulgaria | Group League | 1962 |
Adalbert Desu | Romania | 50 seconds | Peru | Group League | 1930 |
FAQs
Who scored the fastest goal in World Cup history?
Hakan Sukur (Turkey) scored the quickest goal in FIFA Men's World Cup history after 10.8 seconds for Turkey against South Korea in 2002.
Who scored the fastest goal in the European Championship (Euros)?
Dmitri Kirichenko scored the quickest-ever UEFA European Championship goal (67 seconds) for Russia versus Greece at Euro 2004.
Who scored the fastest UEFA Champions League goal in the history of the competition?
Roy Makaay holds the record, scoring after 10.12 seconds into Bayern Munich's Round of 16 second-leg tie against Real Madrid in 2007.
Who scored the fastest goal in Copa América history?
Darío Franco netted the fastest goal in Copa América history for Argentina against Brazil in 1991.
Who scored the fastest goal in Ligue 1 history?
Michel Rio scored the fastest goal in Ligue 1 history for Caen against Cannes after eight seconds in 1992.
Kaylan Geekie is a sports fanatic. He attended Durban High School before moving to Scotland, where he lived for 15 years. During his time in the United Kingdom, Kaylan graduated with a first-class BA Honours Degree in Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland. Kaylan worked for nine years as the Match-Day Editor of SuperXV.com, reporting on Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the 2015 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2017 British & Irish Lions series for the website.