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Here are 20 of the fastest-ever goals in football history categorised by the major competitions in the beautiful game.
Football is a 90-minute game which often means there is no rush and there are lots of slow starts but on some occasions, the action begins immediately with goals.
This article will explore some of the fastest goals in the history of football but with an important caveat.
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly the fastest goal in football history because the sport is so wide and played at many different levels, making it almost impossible to verify which is why we will be sticking with the major competitions of mainstream football.
So by those parameters, here are the fastest goals ever scored in the history of football.
Fastest goal scored in women’s football (3 seconds)
Officially listed as the fastest goal ever scored by a woman, Megan Searson’s 3-second goal for her North Dakota team, the University of Mary in a 2-0 win against Minnesota Crookstown in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) game.
The then-22-year-old scored directly from the kickoff in the game in 2016, shooting straight from the centre circle into the back of the net to open the scoring.
Fastest goal in Brazilian football (3.17 seconds)
In a similar fashion, the fastest goal in the history of Brazilian football was also scored directly from a kickoff by Fred for America Mineiro against Vila Nova in 2003.
The former Brazil international was a teenager at the time when he scored the outrageous goal which is still one of the fastest in the history of the game and the outright fastest ever scored in Brazil.
Fastest goal in Italian football (3.81 seconds)
The fastest goal in Italian football was scored recently in February 2023 by Gioacchino Giardina in a game between Mazarese and Nissa in the Eccellenza Sicily, the fifth tier.
Giardina also scored directly from the kickoff with a fierce strike with what was the first touch of the game.
Fastest goal in Tunisian football (6 seconds)
Finally, an early goal that was not scored directly from a kickoff. Ghazi Ayadi scored after just six seconds in the Tunisian league game between Club Africain and CS Sfaxien.
Fastest goal in Serie A (6.2 seconds)
Rafael Leao’s lightning-quick finish for AC Milan against Sassuolo in 2020 after just 6.2 seconds is the fastest goal scored in Serie A.
Hakan Calhanoglu ran with the ball from kickoff and then played an incisive pass to Leao who took the ball in stride and converted beautifully.
Fastest international goal (7 seconds)
The fastest goal ever scored in international football was seven seconds when Lukas Podolski opened the scoring for Germany against Ecuador in a friendly game in 2013.
The Ecuadorians kicked off and sent the ball backwards but the German press proved effective as Podolski won the ball in a dangerous area and fired it into the back of the net.
Fastest goal in MLS history (7 seconds)
Also on the seven-second mark, American winger Mike Grella made history in 2015 by scoring the fastest goal in the history of American League football.
The goal was scored for New York Red Bulls against Philadelphia Union after Grella won the ball high up the pitch and converted the shot off a deflection.
Fastest goal in La Liga history (7.22 seconds)
In 2008, Spanish striker Joseba Llorente scored after 7.22 seconds for Espanyol against Real Valladolid which was and still is the fastest goal ever scored in the Spanish top-flight.
Llorente kicked off the game and made a darting run off the ball into the opposition box and was found by a beautiful pass over the top which was met with a stunning first-time volley.
Fastest goal in Premier League history (7.69 seconds)
Irish striker Shane Long scored the fastest goal in Premier League history for Southampton against Watford in 2019.
It took just 7.69 seconds for Long to intercept the ball and dispossess Watford defender Craig Cathcart after which he lobbed the ball over the helpless goalkeeper.
Fastest goal scored in Ligue 1 (7.9 seconds)
In February 1992, Michel Rio scored for Caen against Cannes at the Stade de Venoix, after just 7.9 seconds which is listed by the Guinness World Records as the fastest goal in Ligue 1 history.
Fastest goal in Eredivisie history (8 seconds)
Vito van Crooij needed just eight seconds to score the fastest goal in Dutch league history for Sparta Rotterdam against AZ Alkmaar.
Fastest goal in a FIFA World Cup qualification game (8.1 seconds)
This distinction belongs to Christian Benteke who scored the opener for Belgium in a 6-0 thrashing of Gibraltar after just 8.1 seconds of play.
The big striker won the ball on the press after Gibraltar had kicked off the game, he ran towards goal, beat his market with ease and tucked it home.
Fastest goals in Bundesliga history (9 seconds)
Two different goals share this record in Bundesliga as Karim Bellarabi and Kevin Volland both scored after nine seconds.
Bellarabi set the record first by finishing off an excellent Bayer Leverkusen team move to open the scoring against Borussia Dortmund just nine seconds into the match in 2014.
Just a year later, Volland did the same, scoring for Hoffenheim against Bayern Munich after nine seconds to tie the record which he still shares with Bellarabi.
Fastest goal in Champions League history (10.12 seconds)
Roy Makaay’s goal for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in 2007 remains the fastest goal ever scored in the Champions League at 10.12 seconds.
Fastest goal in Europa League history (10.12 seconds)
Jan Sykora scored for Slovan Liberec after just 10.69 seconds in 2016 to record the fastest goal ever scored in the Europa League.
Fastest goal at the FIFA World Cup (10.8 seconds)
This record was set at the 2002 edition hosted by South Korea and Japan and the goal was scored by Turkish striker Hakan Sukur against South Korea after just 10.8 seconds.
Fastest goal scored by a goalkeeper (13 seconds)
In 2013, Asmir Begovic took a long punt like most goalkeepers would but it went straight into the Southampton net, giving Stoke City the lead in their Premier League encounter.
It is by far the quickest goal scored by any goalkeeper in the world and also holds the Guinness World Record for longest distance goal at 97.5 yards.
Fastest goal in an FA Cup final (13 seconds)
The last goal on the list but certainly not the least is also the most recent, Ilkay Gundogan’s special strike at Wembley after 13 seconds is the fastest goal ever scored in an FA Cup final.
The Manchester City midfielder scored a stunning volley against Manchester United to win the 2022/23 FA Cup title.
Fastest goal in Olympic football history (14 seconds)
Brazil faced Honduras in the semi-finals of the Rio 2016 Olympics and needed just 14 seconds of play to break the deadlock and assert themselves as favourites.
The Hondurans kicked off the game and Brazil immediately started to press which was how Neymar won the ball and converted to open the scoring and make history simultaneously.
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