FIFA World Cup Fastest Goals

• With the FIFA World Cup in Qatar underway and goals coming from the Group Stages
• Alphonso Davies scored the fastest goal so far in Qatar World Cup
• We look into some of the record-fastest goals in the World Cup History

Alphonso Davies of Canada scored the quickest goal of the Qatar World Cup on Sunday during his team’s Group F match against Croatia.

To beat Netherlands Cody Gakpo, who scored in the sixth minute of his team’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador, Davies headed home a Tajon Buchanan cross from the right flank.

Lionel Messi of Argentina and Craig Goodwin of Australia are in third and fourth place, respectively.

Was this the fastest World Cup Goal?

No. Turkish player Hakan Suker’s goal at the FIFA World Cup was the fastest, coming in at just 11 seconds. However, compared to the top five fastest goals, which all came within 30 seconds of kickoff, Goodwin’s goal was scored much later.

Some of the Fastest World Cup Goals

SportsLeo looks at some of the fastest FIFA World Cup Goals under 40 seconds after kick-off.

1. Hakan Sukur (Turkey) – 11 seconds, vs South Korea (2002)

11 seconds is an unbelievable amount of time for a goal, let alone one at a World Cup. This record is not expected to be broken anytime soon. The fact that South Korea was hosting this third-place play-off only adds to the surprise.

They played the ball back to the centre half after the kickoff, who then passed it to his defensive counterpart in a diagonal motion. They failed to notice Ilhan Mansiz closing in on him, which was unfortunate for him.

The Turkish player dislodged the defender and feed the similarly pressing high Hakan Sukur. From then, finishing was easy. The lead was 1-0 after 11 seconds. Sukur’s record ought to endure for a very long time, but Turkey won the match 3-2 (thanks to a pair of goals by Mansiz) and placed third.

Hakan Sukur|PHOTO: SportsAdda|

2. Vaclav Masek (Czechoslovakia) – 16 seconds, vs Mexico (1962)

In just 16 seconds, Masek gave his team the advantage by putting the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long as Mexico would go on to win 3-1 thanks to goals from Diaz, Del Aguila, and Hernandez.

After defeating Hungary and Yugoslavia to reach the final, Czechoslovakia fell to fellow Group 3 team Brazil in the match, losing 3-1 (despite Pele’s injury). For 40 years, Masek would hold the record.

3. Ernst Lehner (Germany) – 25 seconds, vs Austria (1934)

Adalbert Desu of Romania held the record for the fastest goal in the inaugural 1930 edition, but Lehner cut it in half in 1934 against Austria in Naples with a 25-second effort. It would be a record that would stand for the next 28 years.

Lehner would score again in the 42nd minute to help Germany finish third in the World Cup.

4. Bryan Robson (England) – 27 seconds, vs France (1982)

In the group opener against a strong French side captained by Michel Platini, Manchester United icon Bryan Robson scored one of England’s most famous World Cup goals.

A long throw-in found an English attacker in the box, who battled two French defenders for possession. The header flew across the box into plenty of space for Robson, who had to volley it in sideways on the bounce.

It was a brilliant start to the same in Bilbao, and France never recovered, losing 3-1, with Robson scoring in the 67th minute.

5. Clint Dempsey (USA) – 29 seconds, vs Ghana (2014)

It’s an odd coincidence that Dempsey’s goal is the most recent of three on this list to occur on June 16th (with Nyberg and Robson).

This goal appears out of nowhere. After a few seconds of possession, Ghana concedes a throw-in. The USA took a chance on the left channel, and Dempsey dropped deep to take possession. He lays it off, runs, and receives the ball again, stepping over and cutting into the box. Dempsey can’t believe the end result: 1-0 in 29 seconds, thanks to a simple finish with his left foot past the keeper.

It is, without a doubt, the fastest World Cup goal most viewers have seen in real-time.

Clint Dempsey Goal vs Ghana. |PHOTO: US Soccer|

6. Emile Veinante (France) – 35 seconds, vs Belgium (1938)

Emile Veinante gave France an early lead against Belgium in their Round of 16 matches. The Racing Club de Paris forward scored in 35 seconds to put his team up 3-1.

Unfortunately for them, eventual winners Italy dashed their hopes of a third consecutive host nation victory in the next round.

7. Arne Nyberg (Sweden) – 35 seconds, vs Hungary (1938)

Sweden breezed through to the semi-finals. Due to the Anschluss, they were initially given a pass against Austria. It was followed by an 8-0 beating Cuba in the quarter-finals. Arne Nyberg scored one of the goals in that game and would score again in the semi-finals in just 35 seconds.

Any hopes of reaching the final were dashed by Hungary, who came back to win 5-1.

8. Bernard Lacombe (France) – 37 seconds, vs Italy (1978)

Bernard Lacombe put France ahead early in Argentina’s 1978 World Cup opener. Bertrand-Demanes, the goalkeeper, passed the ball to Didier Six, who ran down the field before delivering a cross to Lacombe, who headed it past Dino Zoff.

Unfortunately, they would lose 2-1 and thus fail to advance from the group.