Frank Christian
During Euro 2020, Luke Shaw scored the quickest goal in the final, putting England ahead against Italy at Wembley Stadium in just one minute and 56 seconds. Italy won in a penalty shootout. However, in Euro 2024, Albania made history by scoring the fastest goal ever in a men’s European Championship match against Italy on June 15. This goal surpassed the previous record thanks to a mistake during an Italy throw-in by Federico Dimarco.
Following this, other quick goals were scored in later group matches, including one by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, which also made it to the top-five fastest goals in Euros history. Yet, none of them matched the fastest goal in a men’s FIFA World Cup game.
Fastest Goal in Euros History by Nedim Bajrami
At Euro 2024, Nedim Bajrami from Albania scored the fastest goal in a single men’s European Championship match. Playing against holders Italy, Bajrami, who plays for Sassuolo in Serie A, found the back of the net after just 23 seconds. This broke the previous record set by Russia’s Dmitri Kirichenko in 2004.
Top Fastest Goals in Men’s UEFA European Championship History
| Scorer | Time | Nation | Final Result | Tournament |
| Nedim Bajrami | 11 secs | Albania | L 2-1 vs. Italy | 2024 |
Fastest Goal in Men’s FIFA World Cup History
Hakan Sukur holds the record for the fastest goal in World Cup history, scoring for Turkey against South Korea in just 11 seconds during the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea.
Despite it being his only World Cup goal, Sukur’s achievement remains unmatched. It is notable that Turkey scored the goal right after South Korea kicked off the match.
Top Fastest Goals in World Cup History
| Scorer | Time | Nation | Final Result | Tournament |
| Hakan Sukur | 11 secs | Turkey | W 3-2 vs. South Korea | 2002 |
Fastest Goals Ever Scored in European Leagues and Club Competitions
There have been numerous instances of faster goals scored in Europe’s top five leagues and European club competitions compared to Hakan Suker’s record-breaking goal at the World Cup. Rafael Leao holds the record for the fastest goal ever scored in a match across Europe’s top five leagues or European club competition.
Playing for AC Milan, Leao scored a goal just 6.2 seconds into a game against Sassuolo in 2020, a remarkable feat that is unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon.
Top 10 Fastest Goals in European Top Five Leagues
| Player | Competition | Team | Opposition | Time Taken |
| Rafael Leao | Serie A | AC Milan | Sassuolo | 6.2 secs |
| Joseba Llorente | La Liga | Real Valladolid | Espanyol | 7.22 secs |
| Shane Long | Premier League | Southampton | Watford | 7.69 secs |
| Kylian Mbappe | Ligue 1 | PSG | Lille | 8 secs |
| Michel Rio | Ligue 1 | Caen | Cannes | 8 secs |
| Paolo Poggi | Serie A | Piacenza | Fiorentina | 8.1 secs |
| Kevin Volland | Bundesliga | Hoffenheim | Bayern Munich | 9 secs |
| Karim Bellarabi | Bundesliga | Bayer Leverkusen | Borussia Dortmund | 9 secs |
| Ledley King | Premier League | Spurs | Bradford City | 9.9 secs |
| Roy Makaay | Champions League | Bayer Munich | Real Madrid | 10.12 secs |
