This article lists goals which have been considered among the fastest ever scored in association football matches. The records concerning the fastest goals are disputed for a number of reasons. Ray Spiller of the Association of Football Statisticians has argued that as there is no official system for recognizing the timing of goals, and so, there will be and always are going to be disputes concerning these records.
In addition, many of the goals listed in the Guinness World Records as being among the fastest were not filmed, preventing the precise timing of goals from being assessed. The status of Nawaf Al-Abed's goal which is credited as being scored after two seconds is also disputed given that the match was later declared void due to ineligible players, when several players over the age of 23 were found to have played in the age restricted game.
Marc Burrows' goal has also been considered the fastest ever but it was scored in an amateur reserve game. As there is no standard size for a football pitch some of the goals listed benefit from being played on smaller pitches that require the ball to travel a shorter distance before reaching the goal. Furthermore, many of the records listed come from English language publications and reflect a bias towards English football within the sources.
Under The Laws of the Game, specifically Law 8, goals may be scored directly from the kick-off. Some of the fastest goals on the list below are shots taken directly from kick-off.
Goals
The following is a list of goals scored by any kind of players, including youths, amateurs, semi-professionals, or professionals, in any football league, cup or other competition around the world, below 11 seconds since the ball was in play.
PositionPlayerYearMatchResultTimeRef.Notes1Gavin Stokes2017Maryhill v Clydebank3–02.1 sec This match was a non-league (junior) match involving two teams from the West of Scotland Super League First Division in Scottish football. Distance from the halfway line was approximately 46 metres.2Ryan Hall2024Croydon v Cockfosters Reserves3–02.4 secThis was a cup semi-final in the London Senior Trophy.3Marc Burrows2004Cowes Sports Reserves v Eastleigh Reserves5–32.56 secWorld Cup Soccer. All the top world soccer news daily. News from international soccer. World Cup 2010, Euro 2008, champion's league, premier league football, bundesliga, serie...This match was an amateur match but the record has been recognised by The Football Association. Eye-witness reports state the goal was aided by a particularly strong following wind.4Dean Sherwood2026AFC Uckfield Town v Worthing United3–32.67 secThis was a match in the Southern Combination Football League Division One, the tenth tier of English football.5Cheung Sai Ho1993Portsmouth Cup2.8 secCheung scored for the Hong Kong youth team 2.8 seconds after the start of a match in the Portsmouth Cup in 1993. It was the world record in 1993.Ricardo Olivera1998Rio Negro Capital v Soriano Interior1–12.8 secThe goal was listed in the Guinness World Records prior to 2004.7Carlos Almeida2011Oliveira do Hospital v Associação Atlética de Arganil3–03 secFastest Goal Ever In - Portugal/Coimbra First Division/3.5 Seconds Channel: All World Football Added on: May 1, 2015Occurred during a match in the first tier of Coimbra Football Association, the fourth tier of Portuguese football.Megan Searson2016UoMA Maurauders v Minnesota Crookstown2–03 secEnglish Woman Set New Record
Channel: University of Mary Athletics Added on: September 26, 2016Fastest goal scored by a female player, occurred during a match in the NCAA.9Fred2003América Mineiro v Vila Nova1–53.17 secFastest goal ever scored in Brazilian football.10Vuk Bakic2012GSP Polet v FK Dorćol4–13.24 secThis match was a junior match of the Serbian 2. League. Immediately after the referee whistled the beginning of the meeting, Vuk Bakic sent the ball into the goal. Distance from the centre and goal was approximately 50 metres.11Colin Cowperthwaite1979Barrow v Kettering Town4–03.55 secBelieved to be the fastest goal in association football at the time.12Richard Wetton2017Oakwood v Lingfield2–63.57 secAlso the fastest second goal scored in a match, coming in 40 seconds.13Bart van der Veer2014LTC v Oeverzwaluwen2–43.6 secOccurred during a match in the Saturdays 1e Klasse, the fifth tier of Dutch football and the third tier of Dutch amateur football. It was Van der Veer's last match for Oeverzwaluwen before his retirement.14Crios O'Hare2025Marlin Coast Rangers v Stratford Dolphins5–03.68 secFastest goal ever scored in Australian soccer. Occurred from the kick-off of a match in the Australia Cup, the national cup competition of the Australian soccer league system.15Damian Mori1995Adelaide City v Sydney United2–23.69 secAccording to the Guinness Book of Records, Mori held the record from 1995 to 1998 when Ricardo Olivera scored a goal in 2.8 sec.16Gioacchino Giardina2023Mazarese vs Nissa2–13.81 secEccellenza Sicily league game. Fastest goal in Italian football history.17Yael Averbuch2006North Carolina v Yale Bulldogs4–03.9 secGoal occurred in a women's college football match. 18Jim Fryatt1964Bradford Park Avenue v Tranmere4–24 secAccording to the sources some onlookers say that this goal took closer to 10 seconds. However, there is no film evidence to contradict the assessment of the referee Bob Simons who said: "I blew my whistle for the start and still had my stopwatch in my hand when the ball entered the net. The scoring time is exactly four seconds – no question of it."Gareth Morris2001Ashton United v Skelmersdale United4–24 secThis goal is likely to be the fastest ever scored in the FA Cup, although the lack of records dating back to the formation of the competition make this impossible to verify.Roman Voynarovskyi2008Krymteplytsia v Feniks-Illichovets2–24 secScored in the First League (2nd tier of Ukrainian football). Fastest goal ever scored in Ukrainian professional football.Gustavo Ramírez2014Mineros de Zacatecas v Club Necaxa2–04 secGoal occurred in the first match of the season in Ascenso MX.Osagie Osayande2024AC Libertas v SS Pennarossa2–24 secGoal occurred in Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio.23Hadi Abdollahzadeh1999Aboomoslem v Irsotter Noshahr2–04.09 secFastest goal ever scored in Iranian Football.24Maria McAneny2025Hibernian v Celtic 1–24.1 secFastest goal ever in the Scottish Women's Premier League. 25Malcolm Macdonald1972 St Johnstone v Newcastle United3–75 secFastest goal ever scored in Newcastle United's history. Believed to be the fastest association football goal in history at the time.Carlos Dantón Seppaquercia1979Gimnasia y Esgrima LP v Huracán1–15 secFastest goal ever scored in the Argentine Primera División. 27Albert Mundy1958Aldershot Town v Hartlepool United3–06 secBelieved to be fastest goal in association football at the time.Barrie Jones1962Notts County v Torquay United2–06 secPage 67 Tony Brown (1996) The Official History Notts County 1862–1995 Page 99 Dave Bracegirdle (2005) The Legends of Notts County Keith Smith1964Crystal Palace v Derby County3–36 sec Félix Suárez1976Alianza Lima v Independiente Santa Fe4–06 secFastest goal ever scored in the Copa Libertadores.Tommy Langley1980QPR v Bolton Wanderers3–16 secAlexandros Zafeiris1980Irodotos v Kifisia3–16 secFastest goal scored in the third tier of Greek Football League 2.Ghazi Ayadi2017Club Africain v CS Sfaxien2–16 secFastest goal ever scored in the Tunisian Super Ligue. Christoph Baumgartner2024Austria v Slovakia2–06 secFastest goal ever scored in an international match.35Rafael Leão2020Sassuolo v AC Milan1–26.2 secFastest goal ever scored in the Italian Serie A.Dylan Allen-Hadley2025Lowestoft Town V Alvechurch0–46.2 secScored during a semi-professional game in the Southern Football League Premier Central Division.