Goals are the main determinant of football. While scoring a goal at a club point is an important milestone, there is no greater satisfaction than scoring for your country. Many players find it difficult to get a call-up to constitute their country, even if the net.
However, an elite player organization has made a quick impression by scoring some of the fastest goals in foreign football. These remarkable achievements have come in FIFA-sanctioned tournaments and matches. Let’s take a look at the list of the 10 fastest goals scored. in men’s foreign football.
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Myanmar’s Yan Naing Oo secured his place in football history by scoring in just thirteen seconds in his attack against India in the 2017 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. This attack took place at India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Early in the game, Myanmar left-back Si Thu Aung initiated a quick exchange with left winger Thein Than Win, creating an opportune momentum.
Yan Naing Oo took advantage of this opportunity, connecting with a cross to catch the hosts off guard, securing an early lead. Despite having made 23 appearances for his national team, Yan Naing Oo’s tally of goals remains modest, with him being one of the fastest in men’s foreign football.
At the 1999 South Asian Games in Kathmandu, India faced Bhutan in their second match, where I. M. Vijayan, thanks to his remarkable form, made a quick impact. After scoring a hat-trick against Pakistan in the last match, Vijayan continued his brilliant functionality by scoring the fastest goal in India’s history in just 12 moments, propelling his team to an early lead.
In that same match, Vijayan scored two more goals, particularly contributing to India’s 3–0 victory. Its remarkable functionality wasn’t limited to this game; He also found the team in the final against Maldives, helping India win the tournament title.
In a friendly match against Australia in 2017, Diego Souza made his mark on Brazilian football history by scoring the fastest goal in its history, 11 seconds into the match. Brazil earned an emphatic 4-0 victory, leaving Ange Postecoglou, then coach of the Australian team and current coach of Tottenham Hotspurs, on the sidelines of a heavy defeat.
The goal was the result of a mistake in the Australian midfield, with the ball heading straight for Souza. Although the Australian goalkeeper controlled to have the ball in his hands, Souza’s hard strike proved unstoppable.
Diego Souza’s adventure to this level has been marked by perseverance. Although he was first called up to the Brazilian national team in 2009, he had to wait 8 years and overcome challenges, adding injuries to key players such as Gabriel Jesus, before winning his sixth cap. Souza took advantage of this opportunity by not only scoring Brazil’s fastest goal, but also adding some other goal to his tally in the same match.
Scoring the fastest goal in a tournament for his country is a feat, and Hakan Sukur achieved it at the highest level of all.
At the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in Japan and South Korea, Turkey emerged as an unforeseen contender, defying expectations by finishing third in the tournament despite losing in the semifinals to Brazil. Hosts South Korea Turkey cruised to a 3-2 victory, with Hakan Sukur making history by scoring the fastest goal of all time in a FIFA World Cup match.
Prior to that pivotal moment, Hakan had been on a goal drought and failed to find the net in six games in a row. However, he ended that drought in impressive fashion, scoring only the fastest goal, but also chipping in two assists in the same game. .
Paul Onuachu made history as an African player with the fastest goal of all time, marking his debut for Nigeria with an extraordinary feat. His goal, scored in the first ten seconds of a friendly against Egypt in 2019, set a new record for Nigerians. football. Following this remarkable feat, Onuachu has been hailed as the “toast of Nigerian football”, gaining popularity and praise.
This pivotal moment served as a springboard for Onuachu’s career. He then competed in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), contributing to Nigeria’s good fortune by winning the bronze medal. In addition, his impressive functionality earned him a call-up to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. AFCON, where he replaced the injured Umar Sadiq, reaffirming his importance within the national team.
While Hakan Sukur holds the name of the fastest goal ever recorded in FIFA World Cup history, Davide Gualtieri set a record in the qualifiers. Representing San Marino, Gualtieri scored the fastest goal ever recorded in a World Cup qualifier, a record he held for more than 23 years.
His remarkable feat came in front of England goalkeeper David Seaman, who found the net in just 8. 7 seconds with a backward pass. However, despite this individual feat, the attack ended in sadness for San Marino, who suffered a 7-1 defeat. to England.
The record for the fastest goal in a FIFA World Cup qualifier, previously held by Gualtieri, now belongs to Christian Benteke. Benteke reached that milestone in a World Cup qualifier between England and Gibraltar, scoring the goal in just 8. 1 seconds.
In a quick display of skill, Benteke intercepted a pass without delay after kick-off and smashed through the Gibraltar defence to score in the blink of an eye. The lightning-fast goal set the tone for England’s dominance, and Benteke eventually scored a goal. -Trick, as Belgium won 6-0 to move to the top of their group.
In the midst of an era of fluctuating performances in the German national football team, they showed their prowess in a friendly against France. Florian Wirtz, who had shown consistent performances for Bayer Leverkusen at club level, had a quick effect by scoring his first Foreign Target in just 7 seconds.
Executing a well-practiced routine, Wirtz fired a hard shot that hit the crossbar before finding the back of the net. To raise the importance of this moment, German legend Toni Kroos made his return to the team, offering him a hand. about Wirtz’s historic goal.
Lukas Podolski remains unrivalled in the history of German football, holding the record for the fastest goal ever scored by a German player. That historic moment came in May 2013, when Podolski found the net in just six seconds against Ecuador, contributing to Germany’s 4. -2 win.
Renowned for his remarkable achievements, Podolski is the third-capped player in the history of German football, as well as being the third-highest scorer. His exceptional talent, especially his tough left-footed shot, has made him a formidable force on the field and a player of wonderful importance in any friendly match.
Christoph Baumgartner of Austria’s national team secured his position in football history by officially setting the record for the fastest goal ever scored in men’s foreign football. Baumgartner completed this remarkable feat in a recent friendly against Slovakia, locating the goal in just 6 seconds.
What distinguishes Baumgartner’s lens is his genius. Unlike most faster goals, which are the result of mistakes by the opposing team, Baumgartner’s goal is a testament to his individual skill and agility. Immediately after kickoff, Baumgartner won the ball in the middle, temporarily dribbled past two opposing players and deftly placed a shot well into the back corner of the net.