Top 10 fastest goals in UEFA Champions League

by Siddharth Yadav September 16, 2015

UEFA Champions League – The most prestigious elite club competition in the footballing world. Elite clubs from all over Europe face each other to win the bragging rights, the only cup competition which attracts millions of fans towards it.

Ever since its inception, UEFA Champions League has delivered some infamous moments, glories, upsets, spectacular matches, passionate fans and of course, Goals!

Goals – Which will be the talking point of this whole article, over the course of years we have witnessed tons of goals, ever wondered who has scored the fastest of them all or how much ‘seconds’ it actually took them to score? Well, then you must need to see this list to find out.

Here is the Top 10 Fastest Goals in UEFA Champions League history:

10. Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan) – 25.54sec

The Nerazurri legend that spent his majority of the career in blue and black jersey made into history books when he not only scored a screamer but also edged his name in Top 10 Fastest Goals in UEFA Champions League History.

It was on 5^th April, 2011 when German club Schalke met Inter at San Siro for the first leg of UEFA Champions League quarter finals.

The Inter midfielder volleyed all the way from half-line when Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s clearance of all people found Stankovic , who whipped the volley low and hard from distance. Although, it proved to be a disaster night for Inter as they lost 5-2 at the hands of German club.

9. Marek Kincl (Rapid Vienna) – 25.20sec

On 2^nd November, 2005, Rapid Vienna striker Marek Kincl gave the Austrian side an early lead against Belgian outfit Club Brugge with a quick fire goal on his own.

His bullet went thundering into the net with Club Brugge goalkeeper left helpless. Back then this goal was ranked 4^th in the list, 12 years later surprisingly, this thunderous strike lies at the 9^th spot.

8. Alexandre Pato (AC Milan) – 24.97sec

Surprisingly Pato has a unique record of scoring under a minute with four out of five teams he has played for, Internacional, Milan, Corinthians and for the national side, Brazil.

What Pato did on 11^th September, 2011 against Barcelona was nothing short of perfection. Just after the kick-off, Pato received the ball on the half-line, with his unstoppable pace, Pato successfully outrun two Barcelona players with Javier Mascherano one of them and found himself one on one with Victor Valdes, with such an ease Pato perfectly placed his shot between his legs; giving Milan a vital lead over the Catalans.

All this happened in fewer than 25sec; this goal is still the fastest goal on UEFA Champions League Matchday 1.

7. David Alaba (Bayern Munich) – 24.18secWhat about scoring a thunder strike from 30 yards? That too with Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon on goal, Yes! Bayern Munich left back David Alaba silenced Juventus Stadium with a long range strike in the quarter finals on 3^rd April, 2013 making it 7^th fastest goal in Champions League history.

What unique about this goal is that it took Alaba just a mere 24.18sec to open the scoring. Though it did took a deflection of Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal’s toe but nothing can take away that sensational goal.

Bayern comfortably won the match and further went onto win the elusive campaign when they defeated their German compatriots Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the final at Wembley Stadium, London.

6. Diogo Rincon (Dynamo Kyiv) – 24.00sec

It took Rincon just 24 seconds to open the deadlock for Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv against Turkish giants Fenerbahce. Dynamo went onto win 5-3 on aggregate and further went onto qualify past qualifying rounds of UEFA Champions League.

A great link up with his teammate Serhiy Rebrov whose shot was initially saved but Rincon rewarded himself after scoring from rebound.

5. Clarence Seedorf (A.C Milan) – 21.06sec

“Il Professore”! That’s what Milan fans have named him.

Only player to win UEFA Champions League with three different clubs (Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan). A genius in true sense, having played with Milan for most of his career, Seedorf has produced some memorable moments for the Italian giants A.C Milan but his ‘21 second’ goal against Schalke has booked its place in history.

Known for his powerful long range strikes, Seedorf did to Schalke what he usually does. A thunderous shot from distance fancied into the right bottom of the net giving Milan a vital lead at Gelsenkirchen. Though Schalke’s goalkeeper Frank Rost did get his hand on the ball but it was not enough to stop Seedorf’s effort.

The audacity to try such a shot inside 21 seconds itself speaks about Clarence.

4. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) – 20.12sec

On 1^st October, 1997, Italian giants Juventus met English outfits Manchester United in a Group Stage match at Old Trafford which proved to be a neck to neck tie.

Del Piero, Juventus all time highest goal scorer had other plans that night at Theatre Of Dreams where he stunned the home crowd inside just 21 seconds.

Del Piero dummied Manchester United’s goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel which made The Great Dane committ early, taking advantage of that Del Piero kept his composure and finished it in style.

Though, the red devils made their usual comeback and won the match 3-2.

3. Gilberto Silva (Arsenal) – 20.07sec

An astonishing 4-0 away win against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven made the Gunners presence felt in the premier elite competition. With their star player, Thierry Henry outclassing each of their opponents and stealing the show, there was another player named Gilberto Silva who stole the limelight from the Frenchman.

The Brazilian scored his first Arsenal goal in just 20.07 seconds to give an early lead to Arsenal. Thierry Henry precise ball found Gilberto who easily tapped in to score the first of the four goals Arsenal scored that night.

2. Jonas Gonsalves (Valencia) – 10.96sec

The second fastest goal in the history of UEFA Champions League; though it was more of a defensive error than producing an attacking display.

Bayer Leverkusen right from the kick-off started to play at the back which cost them an early goal. Bernd Leno clearance of all people found Brazilian striker Jonas Gonsalves just outside the box who calmly finished it with his left foot at a mere 10.96 seconds.

1. Roy Makaay (Bayern Munich) – 10.12sec

On 7^th March, 2007, Dutch striker Roy Makaay created history when he scored in just 10.12 seconds against 10 time UEFA Champions League winner, Real Madrid.

Roberto Carlos, who was one of the best left backs of his time made a huge error just after the kick-off when he lost the ball possession and gifted it to Hasan Salihamidzic, running down Real Madrid’s right flank he found Roy Makaay who made history with his first touch finish giving Bayern an early lead.

Bayern went onto win the tie on away goals but eventually got eliminated later by Italian outfit A.C Milan who continued their fairy tail run and won the tournament by beating Liverpool 2-1 in final.