Football is incredibly exhaustive, as players have to score against their opponent, involving physical contact and endurance to keep through a ninety-minute game across such a vast field. The best thing to come from a team is a goal in the first half of the game.
Well, guess what, there have been such teams with players possessing great athleticism that made FIFA World Cup matches worth the anticipation in the hearts of football fans across the globe. You must be surprised to know that the fastest goals that have been scored in a FIFA World Cup match have all been done in the first minute of the game. Numerous records have been made in the history of FIFA. The timing for the top 10 fastest goals in the history of the FIFA World Cup shall make you bite your nails.
Fastest Goals in FIFA World Cup
In this article, you shall read about the fastest goals along with little insights about each one to make it even more interesting.
10. Adalbert Desu: 50 Seconds
It was in the year 1930 on the 14th of July. Adalbert drew the curtains on Peru’s hope for the World Cup by scoring a goal against Peru in the first minute itself. Romania was playing in the first round of the World Cup in Montevideo, Estadio Pocitos against Peru. The match was won by Romania with a two-goal lead to finish with a final score of 3-1.
9. Florian Albert: 50 Seconds
Florian’s performance in Rancagua, Braden Copper Company Stadium, and his determination to lead his team were one of the most talked about things about the World Cup of 1962 on June 3. It was indeed a one-sided match in the favor of Hungary as Florian Albert scored a hat-trick for the Hungarian team, assisted by his teammates to lead by 6-1 to step on the hopes of the Bulgarian team. Florian Albert is also the only Hungarian to win a Ballon d’Or winner.
8. Bernard Lacombe: 37 Seconds
In the first round of the FIFA World Cup of 1978 at Mar del Plata, Parque Municipal, the French footballer inaugurated the World Cup on June 2 in style by scoring for France against Italy in the first 37 seconds of the tournament. Although France made an incredible start to the match through the efforts of Bernard Lacombe, Italy seized the day with a final tally of 2-1 by scoring two consecutive goals.
7. Arne Nyberg: 35 Seconds
In the semi-final match in the World Cup of 1938 played at Paris, Parc des Princes on June 16 between Hungary and Sweden, Arne Nyberg filled the stadium with slogans of victory and excitement, when he scored the first goal of the match for Sweden just 35 seconds into the game. However, it did not prove to be of much help to the Swedish team in the game as the Hungarian team made a firm comeback to land a ticket to the finals with a score of 5-1.
6. Emile Vienante: 35 Seconds
Emile Vienante contributed to his team’s success in the World Cup of 1938 as a host by scoring the fastest goal of the tournament in the first round on June 5 at Colombes, Yves-du-Manoir. The early goal by Emile Vienante in the first 35 seconds of the game helped France to dominate Belgium in that game to finish in style with a final score of 3-1. The French team had a long stint before being defeated by Italy in the knockout stage.
5. Clint Dempsey: 29 Seconds
On the 16th of June in 2014, in the first round of the FIFA World Cup at Arena das Dunas, Natal, a new record was created by Clint Dempsey, when he scored a goal for his team, the United States of America in the initial 29 seconds of the game. He laid a firm foundation for the American team in that match against Ghana and for the rest of the tournament. It was indeed the fastest goal of the World Cup.
4. Bryan Robson: 27 Seconds
In this most anticipated match of the first round of the World Cup of 1982, Bryan Robson displayed his intent to dominate the tournament by scoring a goal with just 27 seconds into the game. Bilbao, Estadio San Mamés drowned with echoes of celebration from the English fans, when England finished with a royal demeanor against France with a final score of 3-1 on the 16th of June.
3. Ernst Lehner: 25 Seconds
In the playoffs match for third place on June 7th of 1934, Germany dominated Austria at Naples, Stadio Ascarelli with an early attack finished in style by Ernst Lehner in the first 25 seconds of the game. Despite a timely counter by Austria, the German giants found victory with a score of 3-2 at the final whistle.
2. Vaclav Masek: 16 Seconds
Despite Czechoslovakia’s loss to Mexico in the FIFA World Cup of 1962, the efforts of the Czechoslovakian striker in the 16th second of the game to score the fastest goal of the World Cup at Vina del Mar, Estadio Sausalito, were indeed one of the most celebrated moments of the game. Even after being shunned by the Mexican side on June 17th, 1962 with a score of 3-1, Vaclav Masek left his mark in the game.
1. Hakan Sukur: 11 Seconds
In the FIFA World Cup of 2002, on June 29 at Daegu, Daegu World Cup Stadium, Hakan Sukur created history not only for his team by leading them to victory against the co-hosts of the FIFA World Cup, South Korea in the knockouts for the third place in the tournament. He created a fantastic record in his name which is yet to be broken, by scoring an incredible goal against South Korea in the first ten seconds of the match. The Turkish side landed third place after dominating the Republic of South Korea with 3-2 at the end of this hard-fought game.
This was the list of the top 10 fastest goals scored in a FIFA World Cup. We hope it was worth your while and could give interesting insights about your favorite sport. Make sure to share it with your friends who are just as crazy about the sport and do let us know your views on the article in the comment section.
