Top 10 Fastest Goals In Football History

In The History Books

Following West Ham's opener against Aston Villa yesterday coming inside a minute of play, we here at Football Park have put a list together of the quickest goals in football history. Just a warning, these are goals which have been scored in games with video proof, so your mate's screamer inside two seconds for his Sunday league side doesn't count. Shane Long isn't in this list, but he will always be remembered for his goal that remains as the fastest goal (7.69 seconds) in Premier League history.

10 - Richard Wetton - 2017 - 3.57 seconds

Kicking us off is Richard Wetton, a player you would have never heard of, no disrespect, of course. Well, in a lower league clash for Lingfield against Oakwood, Wetton smashed a shot from the halfway line to open the scoring within 3.57 seconds. Not only that, his celebration matched the shock value of the goal perfectly. And then to top it off, Oakwood equalised in the next 40 seconds. Football is a funny game.

9 - Fred - 2003 - 3.17 seconds

This is not the Fred that played for Manchester United as it is quite a common name amongst Brazilians, but still a Fred you might recognise. Before his international career with Brazil, Fred was playing for America Mineiro. There is a regular theme for these goals as you'll see all of them shooting from the halfway line. Well, Fred did exactly that putting his side one nil up within 3.17 seconds with a ridiculous shot from the half way line. What's even funnier, his side managed to lose 5-1 that game. Still, it makes the ninth spot.

8 - Megan Searson - 2016 - 3 seconds

Megan Searson was definetely the most popular person in her university after scoring this goal. In a match for University of Mary Athletics, Searson expertly scores from kick-off giving the opposition keeper no chance at all. Within a second of cutting back to her celebrations, her teammates had surrounded her including the goalkeeper.

7 - Carlos Almeida - 2011 - 3 seconds

In a Portuguese fifth tier encounter against Associação Atlética de Arganil, Carlos Almeida had the cheek to shoot from the halfway line, just like Fred and Wetton. Of course it went in, and it took only three seconds to cross the line. The goalkeeper's reaction is priceless. He lays on the floor dumbfounded at how his clean sheet bonus is gone before he has even touched the ball. Perhaps Premier League sides should implement shooting from the half way line in their pre-game tactics.

6 - Ricardo Olivera - 1998 - 2.8 seconds

In what you will see in the video footage below, it is hard to tell if the ball did actually cross the line. Luckily in Ricardo Olivera's case, it did to give him the 7th spot. In an Amateur Uruguayan Cup game, Olivera gave the ball some welly from kick off. However as it was 1998, the video looks like it may have been filmed with a toaster. Nonetheless, you can still see it was a cracker.

5 - Marc Burrows - 2004 - 2.56 seconds

Burrows puts his name in the history books with another worldie shot from kick off for Cowes Sports Reserves vs Eastleigh Reserves. We are carrying on the filming with a toaster theme as the quality is very blurry and there is also a huge pole in the way. However, it is a ridiculous lob and even goes in the top right corner. He also takes a huge run up to get some serious power behind the ball.

4 - Jack Lyons - 2003 - 2.52 seconds

Just beating Burrows by 0.04 seconds, Jack Lyons scored his goal in a FA Youth Cup clash for Rusthall vs Chatham Town. Much like the others, the young Lyons scored his goal straight from kick off sending his teammates into an array of celebrations. For having that amount of courage at a young age, Lyons placed himself as the quickest goal-scorer in FA Youth Cup History.

3 - Ryan Hall - 2024 - 2.31 seconds

Ryan Hall is the most recent addition to this list, scoring his goal only last year. In the London Senior Trophy, Hall gave Croydon FC the lead with a fantastic halfway line strike which spurred his side on to win 3-0. The goal gained so much traction, that Hall became a mini celebrity for a while with a number of interviews including The Guardian. The former Crystal Palace man deservedly takes third place.

2 - Vuk Bakić - 2012 - 2.2 seconds

Former top spot holder Vuk Bakić makes second place with his halfway line goal in a Serbian youth team tie between GSP Polet and FK Dorcol. Bakić is proud of this one, as he has posted the clip on YouTube himself. He should be proud of it as it's an absolutely brilliant strike on a rather uneven surface. The keeper is miles out from his goal and gives a rather comical dive, but it is a beautiful strike.

1 - Gavin Stokes - 2017 - 2.1 seconds

Making the top spot and living in the history books for the fastest goal ever, is Gavin Stokes. It might have been a game for Maryhill in the lower tiers of Scotland, but it proved that there is quality even in the lower leagues. Stokes manages to direct the ball with enough venom and curl towards the top left corner. What's even more impressive is that the keeper was hardly off his line and still didn't have a chance to save it. Stokes must've been glad that someone had it on film otherwise it would be an old tale that no one believes.