Scoring a goal in international football is a momentous occasion that often defines the outcome of a match. Setting the tone early with a fast goal can give a team a significant advantage and set the stage for a successful performance. Over the years, we have borne witness to some of the fastest goals scored in men’s international football. Let’s take a look at some of the fastest goals in the history of the sport that has left fans in awe.
1) Christoph Baumgartner
Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner now holds the record for the fastest goal scored in international men soccer. He scored six seconds after kickoff in a friendly against Slovakia on Saturday. The strike breaks the eleven years old record set by Lucas Podolski as the fastest recorded goal in international football.
The 24-year-old sprinted from the centre circle and skipped past three challenges before firing a low shot from outside the box into the bottom corner.
2) Lucas Podolski
Lucas Podolski held the record for eleven years for the fastest strike in international football. His strike came in six seconds after kickoff again Ecuador, with the game ended 4-2 in favour of the Germans.
3) Davide Gualtieri
San Marino’s Davide Gualtieri entered the record book when he scored in a World Cup qualifier against England in 1993. Gualtieri intercepted a back-pass from England’s Stuart Pearce and managed to score. The goal came within just 8.3 seconds of the match starting.
4) Hakan Sukur
In March 2003, Hakan Sukur of Turkey scored one of the fastest goals in men’s international football history. He netted Just 11 seconds into a World Cup qualifier against South Korea. Sukur scored after a long ball from kickoff, setting a new record for the fastest goal in a FIFA-sanctioned match.
5) Robert Mak
In a Euro 2016 qualifying match between Slovakia and Luxembourg, Robert Mak scored a goal within just 12.7 seconds of kickoff. Mak intercepted a pass from the Luxembourg defense and dribbled past the goalkeeper to score, setting a new record for the fastest goal in Euro qualifying history.
Worthy mentions
Other notable mentions for the fastest goals in men’s international football include:
Bryan Robson – 27 seconds (England V France, 1982).
Clint Dempsey – 29 seconds (USA V Ghana, 2014).
Torsten Frings – 48 seconds (Germany V Costa Rica, 2006).
It will be exciting to see if any player can break the records set by these quick goals. With the level of talent and competition in the sport today, it will be hard to bet against it.
