
At Euro 2020, Italy made an unexpected entry into the record books by conceding the fastest goal in a final, courtesy of Luke Shaw’s strike for England at Wembley Stadium, just one minute and 56 seconds into the match. Despite this early setback, the Azzurri went on to win the championship in a thrilling penalty shootout.
Fast forward to Euro 2024, and Italy found themselves making history again, albeit in a less desirable manner. Facing Albania in Dortmund on June 15, the reigning champions were stunned as Albania, participating in just their second major tournament, scored the fastest goal in a single men’s European Championship match. A blunder from Federico Dimarco during a throw-in gifted the opportunity, and the Albanian fans erupted in joy as their team set a new record.
What is the fastest goal in Euros history?
At Euro 2024, Albania’s Nedim Bajrami etched his name into the record books by scoring the fastest goal in a single men’s European Championship match. The midfielder, who plies his trade for Italian Serie A side Sassuolo, stunned the reigning champions Italy by netting the opening goal of the Group B clash at Signal Iduna Park just 23 seconds into the game.
Bajrami’s lightning-fast strike shattered the previous record set by Russia’s Dmitri Kirichenko, who scored after 67 seconds against Greece in 2004. This historic moment left the Albanian fans in raptures and added a thrilling chapter to the ongoing tournament.
What is the fastest goal in men’s FIFA World Cup history?
The fastest goal ever scored in a World Cup came during the 2002 tournament, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, when Hakan Şükür of Turkey found the back of the net a mere 11 seconds into the match.
Turkey, enjoying their best-ever World Cup run, reached the semi-finals and faced host nation South Korea in the third-place playoff. It was in this match that Şükür made history. Despite South Korea taking the kick-off, Turkey swiftly regained possession and within 11 seconds, Şükür scored the record-setting goal.
What’s particularly impressive about this achievement is that it was Şükür’s only goal in World Cup competition, highlighting the fleeting yet monumental nature of his record-breaking strike.
List of fastest goals in World Cup history
Scorer | Time | Nation | Final Result | Tournament |
Hakan Suker | 11 secs | Turkey | W 3-2 vs. South Korea | 2002 |
Vaclav Masek | 16 secs | Czechoslovakia | L 3-1 vs. Mexico | 1962 |
Ernst Lehner | 24 secs | Germany | W 3-2 vs. Austria | 1934 |
Bryan Robson | 27 secs | England | W 3-1 vs. France | 1982 |
Clint Dempsey | 30 secs | USA | W 2-1 vs. Ghana | 2014 |
Emile Veinante | 35 secs | France | W 3-1 vs. Belgium | 1938 |
Arne Nyberg | 35 secs | Sweden | L 5-1 vs. Hungary | 1938 |
Bernard Lacombe | 37 secs | France | L 2-1 vs. Italy | 1978 |
Florian Albert | 50 secs | Hungary | W 6-1 vs. Bulgaria | 1962 |
Adalbert Desu | 50 secs | Romania | W 3-1 vs. Peru | 1930 |