10 Fastest Goals in Football History (Ranked)

Betimate explores the fastest goals ever scored in football history.

By: Anna Ciao

02/24/2025 07:38

Football can be unpredictable. Some matches drag on with neither team able to break the deadlock, ending in a frustrating 0-0 draw. Other times, teams explode out of the gates, wasting no time in finding the net.

In the Premier League era, Shane Long holds the record for the fastest goal, scoring for Southampton against Watford in just 7.69 seconds in 2019. Meanwhile, the quickest goal in UEFA Champions League history came in 2007, when Roy Makaay struck for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in just 10.12 seconds. Both feats are remarkable, but they don't come close to the 10 fastest goals in football history—each scored in under four seconds.

Ranking the 10 Fastest Goals in Football History
Rank	Goalscorer	Fixture	League	Result	Year	Time
1	Gavin Stokes	Maryhill vs Clydebank	Superleague Division One (Scotland)	3-0	2017	2.1 seconds
2	Vuk Bakic	GSP Polet vs FK Dorcol	Serbian 2 League	4-1	2012	2.2 seconds
3	Ryan Hall	Croydon FC vs Cockfosters	London Senior Trophy	3-0	2024	2.31 seconds
4	Jack Lyons	Rusthall vs Chatham Town	FA Youth Cup	5-2	2023	2.52 seconds
5	Marc Burrows	Cowes Sports Reserves vs Eastleigh Reserves	Harwood-Vauxhall Isle of Wight Saturday League	5-3	2004	2.56 seconds
6	Ricardo Olivera	Rio Negro Capital vs Soriano Interior	Uruguay Amatuer Cup	1-1	1998	2.8 seconds
7	Fred	America Mineiro vs Vila Nova	Campeonato Mineiro (Brazil)	1-5	2003	3.17 seconds
8	Colin Cowperthwaite	Barrow vs Kettering Town	Southern League Premier Division Central	4-0	1979	3.55 seconds
9	Richard Wetton	Oakwood vs Lingfield	Peter Bentley Challenge Cup	2-6	2017	3.57 seconds
10	Bart van der Veer	LTC vs Oeverzwaluwen	Eerste Klasse (The Netherlands)	2-4	2014	3.6 seconds

10. Bart van der Veer (LTC vs Oeverzwaluwen)

Time taken: 3.6 Seconds

In a 2014 match in the fifth tier of Dutch football, Bart van der Veer made history by scoring in under four seconds for Oeverzwaluwen against LTC. Even more remarkably, it came in his final game before retirement, helping his team secure a 4-2 away victory.

Van der Veer found the net straight from kick-off, launching a shot from just beyond the halfway line that beat the LTC goalkeeper. Despite the club making headlines for his stunning goal, Oeverzwaluwen endured a tough season, finishing bottom of the Eerste Klasse Saturday League with just 14 points from 26 games—12 points from safety. Regardless of the team's struggles, Van der Veer’s final match was one to remember.

Bart van der Veer vs LTC
Fixture	LTC vs Oerverzwaluwen
Score	2-4
Year	2014
Time	3.6 seconds

9. Richard Wetton (Oakwood vs Lingfield)

Time taken: 3.57 Seconds

Richard Wetton kick-started Lingfield’s 6-2 away victory over Oakwood in the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup in 2017 with a stunning goal straight from kick-off. Using a technique similar to Bart van der Veer’s, he struck from just beyond the halfway line, finding the net in just 3.57 seconds. Remarkably, Oakwood responded almost immediately, making it 1-1 within the first 40 seconds of the match.

Wetton had an outstanding game, scoring once and providing two assists. The 2017/18 season proved to be the best of his career at Lingfield, as he racked up 34 goals and 13 assists in 39 appearances. It was a standout campaign for the forward, who never managed double figures for goals in any other season during his time at the club.

Richard Wetton vs Oakwood
Fixture	Oakwood vs Lingfield
Score	2-6
Year	2017
Time	3.57 seconds

8. Colin Cowperthwaite (Barrow vs Kettering Town)

Time taken: 3.55 Seconds

Barrow’s all-time leading goalscorer and appearance holder, Colin Cowperthwaite, made history in 1979 by scoring just 3.55 seconds into a match against Kettering Town. His lightning-fast strike helped Barrow cruise to a 4-0 victory and was recorded as the fastest goal ever scored in any division of English football at the time.

Cowperthwaite made his debut for Barrow in 1977, five years after the club's relegation from the Football League. Over the course of 17 seasons, he played a pivotal role in the team’s success, winning two Northern Premier League titles. The prolific striker found the net 282 times in 704 appearances, cementing his status as a club legend.

Following his retirement, Cowperthwaite was honored with a testimonial match against Manchester City in 1992. His footballing legacy continued through his son, Niall Cowperthwaite, who also played for Barrow between 2013 and 2016.

Colin Cowperthwaite vs Kettering Town
Fixture	Barrow vs Kettering Town
Score	4-0
Year	1979
Time	3.55 seconds

7. Fred (America Mineiro vs Vila Nova)

Time taken: 3.17 seconds

Frederico Chaves Guedes, better known as Fred, etched his name into Brazilian football history in 2003 by scoring the fastest goal ever recorded in the country. Playing for América Mineiro against Vila Nova, the former Brazil international found the net just 3.17 seconds after kick-off. Spotting the opposition goalkeeper off his line, Fred launched a perfectly placed strike from beyond the halfway line. Despite his record-breaking goal, América Mineiro ultimately fell to a 5-1 defeat.

Fred went on to enjoy a distinguished career, spending four years at Lyon from 2005 to 2009, where he won three Ligue 1 titles and a Coupe de France. Returning to Brazil, he added two league titles with Fluminense to his collection. On the international stage, he represented Brazil with distinction, winning the Copa América in 2007 and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013.

Fred vs Vila Nova
Fixture	America Mineiro vs Villa Nova
Score	1-5
Year	2003
Time	3.17 seconds

6. Ricardo Olivera (Rio Negro Capital vs Soriano Interior)

Time taken: 2.8 Seconds

While many on this list have scored stunning long-range efforts from just over the halfway line, Ricardo Olivera made history with an even quicker strike. In 1998, playing for Rio Negro Capital against Soriano Interior, he found the net just 2.8 seconds after kick-off with a goal from the centre circle. However, his record-breaking effort wasn’t enough to secure a win, as Soriano equalized and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Olivera’s goal was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest in football history at the time, surpassing Colin Cowperthwaite’s 3.55-second strike for Barrow in 1979. Unfortunately for Olivera, his career beyond that moment remains largely undocumented, with no other notable statistics available.

Ricardo Olivera vs Soriano Interior
Fixture	Rio Negro vs Soriano Interior
Score	1-1
Year	1998
Time	2.8 seconds

5. Marc Burrows (Cowes Sports Reserves vs Eastleigh Reserves)

Time taken: 2.56 Seconds

Marc Burrows etched his name into football history in 2004 when he scored just 2.56 seconds after kick-off for Cowes Sports Reserves against Eastleigh Reserves. The goal came from a clever set-piece routine, with a teammate laying the ball off before Burrows unleashed a thunderous shot from just over the halfway line, catching the Eastleigh goalkeeper completely off guard. His stunning strike helped Cowes Sports to a 5-3 victory and secured his place in the record books.

Burrows began his career in Portsmouth’s youth setup before becoming a journeyman in England’s lower leagues. Across 58 appearances for six different clubs, he netted 20 goals. Tragically, he passed away in February 2009 at the age of 30 after being diagnosed with cancer.

Marc Burrows vs Eastleigh Reserves
Fixture	Cowes Sports Reserves vs Eastleigh Reserves
Score	5-3
Year	2004
Time	2.56 seconds

4. Jack Lyons (Rusthall vs Chatham Town)

Time taken: 2.52 Seconds

In 2023, Jack Lyons made history by scoring the fastest-ever FA Youth Cup goal during Rusthall's 5-2 victory over Chatham Town. Finding the net just 2.52 seconds after kick-off, Lyons stunned the opposition goalkeeper with a remarkable 50-yard strike, catching him completely off guard.

His record-breaking goal was the first of three he scored in 16 appearances for Rusthall during the 2023/24 campaign. However, despite Lyons' individual moment of brilliance, the club has struggled in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, sitting near the bottom of the table after securing just four wins all season.

Jack Lyons vs Chatham Town
Fixture	Rusthall vs Chatham Town
Score	5-2
Year	2023
Time	2.52 seconds

3. Ryan Hall (Croydon FC vs Cockfosters)

Time taken: 2.31 Seconds

While playing for Croydon FC against Cockfosters in the London Senior Trophy in 2024, Ryan Hall made history by scoring just 2.31 seconds into the match. Spotting the goalkeeper off his line, the forward found the net straight from kick-off, helping his side to a 3-0 victory.

Hall began his career at Crystal Palace, making his debut under Peter Taylor against Queens Park Rangers in November 2007. He featured once more for Palace in an FA Cup third-round defeat to Watford in 2008. Over the years, he has had spells with several clubs, including Leeds United, MK Dons, and Luton Town.

Ryan Hall vs Cockfosters
Fixture	Croydon FC vs Cockfosters
Score	3-0
Year	2024
Time	2.31 seconds

2. Vuk Bakic (GSP Polet vs FK Dorcol)

Time taken: 2.2 Seconds

During a Serbian youth match between GSP Polet and FK Dorcol in 2012, Vuk Bakic made history by scoring just 2.2 seconds into the game, helping his side to a commanding 4-1 victory. His incredible strike came from the centre circle and is arguably the most impressive on this list, given the poor state of the playing surface, which was littered with divots and sand, as seen in the footage.

Bakic's stunning goal remains the standout moment of his career, with no further professional statistics available. However, he has shared several clips on his YouTube channel, which boasts 12.7k followers, including footage of him scoring a powerful free-kick during a game of street football.

Vuk Bakic vs FK Dorcol
Fixture	GSP Polet vs FK Dorcol
Score	4-1
Year	2012
Time	2.2 seconds

1. Gavin Stokes (Maryhill vs Clydebank)

Time taken: 2.1 Seconds

Gavin Stokes made history in 2017 by scoring the fastest-ever goal in football while playing for Maryhill against Clydebank in the lower tiers of Scottish football. His stunning strike from the halfway line was clocked at an incredible 2.1 seconds, setting a record and helping his team secure a 3-0 victory.

Stokes later went on to play for Dundee United and Scottish League One side Alloa Athletic, also earning a spot in Scotland's youth setup. Tragically, he lost his life at the age of 30 in October 2022 following a devastating car crash in Glasgow. After losing control of his vehicle, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gavin Stokes vs Clydebank
Fixture	Maryhill vs Clydebank
Score	3-0
Year	2017
Time	2.1 seconds

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Written by: Anna Ciao

Anna Ciao is a sports content contributor at Betimate. Born and raised in a rural village in China, I have had a passion for football and various sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, from a young age. Along with diligent studies, I achieved an IELTS score of 8.0 in the English language, and I have become a content contributor specializing in sports, particularly football, as I am today. I hope that my articles are helpful to readers.