Fastest Goals in World Cup History

The "Opta" statistics network revealed a list of the fastest goals scored in World Cup history, where Turkish striker Hakan Şükür still holds the record for the fastest goal in the tournament after scoring against South Korea just 11 seconds into the third-place playoff match in the 2002 World Cup.

Sukur's historic goal came right after the South Korean team lost possession of the ball immediately after the kickoff. The ball reached the Turkish striker, who seized the opportunity and scored, giving his team an early advantage in the match, which ended with Turkey winning 3-2. Ironically, this was Sukur's only goal in his World Cup appearances.

The same source pointed out that the previous record was held by the Czechoslovakian Vaclav Masek, who scored just 15 seconds into the match against Mexico during the 1962 World Cup, before Sukur claimed the top spot four decades later.

The list of the fastest goals in the history of the tournament includes other prominent names, such as the German Ernst Lehner, who scored after 25 seconds in the 1934 World Cup, the Englishman Bryan Robson, who scored after 28 seconds against France in the 1982 edition, and the American Clint Dempsey, who found the net against Ghana after 30 seconds in the 2014 World Cup.

The report also covered the fastest own goal in World Cup history, recorded by Bosnian player Sead Kolašinac, who accidentally scored against his own team in a match against Argentina just 2 minutes and 10 seconds into the 2014 edition.

In other record books, the report highlighted that Dutchman Johan Neeskens holds the record for the fastest goal from a penalty in the history of the tournament, having scored in the 1974 World Cup final against West Germany after just one minute and 26 seconds. This is also the fastest goal in the history of World Cup finals.

Opta Network added that Uruguayan Richard Morales holds the record for the fastest substitute to score a goal in the World Cup, as he needed only 16 seconds after entering the field to find the net against Senegal in the 2002 World Cup.