The 5 Fastest Champions League Goals of All Time
Updated: Oct 4
A Champions League match can take only seconds to produce a moment that nobody expected. While some games begin with cautious passing and both teams settling into their shape, others start at full speed.
A misplaced touch, a quick press or a clever move from kick-off can create a scoring opportunity before the defence has properly settled. Over the years, a handful of players have taken that opportunity to extraordinary effect.
The five fastest goals in UEFA Champions League history have all arrived within 22 seconds of kick-off, with the record belonging to Roy Makaay, who scored after only 10.12 seconds for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid.
The 5 Fastest Champions League Goals Ever
UEFA's current records list the following five goals as the fastest in Champions League history.
Rank | Player | Time | Match |
1 | Roy Makaay | 10.12 seconds | Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid |
2 | Jonas | 10.96 seconds | Valencia 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen |
3 | Gilberto Silva | 20.07 seconds | PSV 0-4 Arsenal |
4 | Alessandro Del Piero | 20.12 seconds | Manchester United 3-2 Juventus |
5 | Clarence Seedorf | 21.06 seconds | Schalke 2-2 AC Milan |
5. Clarence Seedorf – 21.06 Seconds
Schalke 2-2 AC Milan – 28 September 2005
Clarence Seedorf scored the fifth-fastest goal in Champions League history when he put AC Milan ahead against Schalke after only 21.06 seconds.
The Dutch midfielder's strike came almost immediately after kick-off and gave Milan a dream start to their group-stage meeting in Germany.
Seedorf was already an experienced Champions League performer by this point, having won the competition with three different clubs.
His ability to contribute from midfield made the goal particularly notable. He was not a conventional striker waiting inside the penalty area; he was a midfielder capable of arriving in dangerous positions and finishing attacks.
The match eventually finished 2-2, but Seedorf's early strike remains one of the quickest goals the competition has ever seen. UEFA currently ranks it fifth on its all-time list.
4. Alessandro Del Piero – 20.12 Seconds
Manchester United 3-2 Juventus – 1 October 1997
Alessandro Del Piero needed only 20.12 seconds to score for Juventus against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Italian forward had already established himself as one of Europe's most exciting attacking players, and this was another example of his ability to produce a finish under pressure.
Juventus ultimately lost the match 3-2, but Del Piero's lightning-fast opener has remained one of the quickest goals in Champions League history. It was also an extremely close record at the time.
When UEFA documented the fastest goals after Makaay's record-breaking strike in 2007, Del Piero's effort was only five-hundredths of a second behind Gilberto Silva's previous mark. Today, UEFA ranks Del Piero's goal fourth at 20.12 seconds.
3. Gilberto Silva – 20.07 Seconds
PSV 0-4 Arsenal – 25 September 2002
Gilberto Silva's goal against PSV Eindhoven remains one of the most remarkable fast starts in Champions League history. The Brazilian midfielder scored after 20.07 seconds as Arsenal began their group-stage match in emphatic fashion.
Gilberto was not known primarily as a goalscorer. His main role was to protect Arsenal's defence, win possession and provide balance in Arsène Wenger's midfield.
That makes the speed of this particular goal even more striking. Arsenal went on to win 4-0, with Gilberto's early finish setting the tone for a dominant performance.
For several years, it was the fastest goal in Champions League history. Roy Makaay eventually broke the record, but Gilberto's 20.07-second strike remains third on UEFA's current all-time list.
2. Jonas – 10.96 Seconds
Valencia 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen – 1 November 2011
Jonas came incredibly close to taking the Champions League record when he scored for Valencia against Bayer Leverkusen after only 10.96 seconds.
The Brazilian forward reacted quickly to an early mistake from Leverkusen and finished the opportunity before the German defence had time to recover. It was an extraordinary start to the match.
Valencia eventually won 3-1, but Jonas's goal became the second-fastest in Champions League history.
It is also the fastest goal ever recorded in the competition's group-stage era, according to UEFA. For almost 20 years, only one player has managed to score faster.
1. Roy Makaay – 10.12 Seconds
Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid – 7 March 2007
Roy Makaay holds the record for the fastest goal in Champions League history. The Dutch striker needed only 10.12 seconds to score for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie.
UEFA still lists it as the competition's fastest goal. It was not a complicated goal. Real Madrid kicked off, and the ball was played towards Roberto Carlos. His touch went wrong, allowing Hasan Salihamidžić to win possession.
The Bayern midfielder immediately played the ball across to Makaay, who finished past Iker Casillas. From kick-off to the ball hitting the net, only 10.12 seconds had passed.
Bayern went on to win the match 2-1 and progress to the quarter-finals after the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate, with Bayern advancing on away goals.
Makaay's record has proved remarkably difficult to beat. Jonas came within 0.84 seconds of it in 2011, but no player has gone quicker since.
What Is the Fastest Goal in Champions League History?
Roy Makaay's 10.12-second goal for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid is the fastest in UEFA Champions League history.
Jonas is second at 10.96 seconds, while Gilberto Silva, Alessandro Del Piero and Clarence Seedorf complete the top five. UEFA's current records continue to list Makaay at the top.
How Close Was Jonas to Breaking Makaay's Record?
Jonas came extremely close. His goal for Valencia against Bayer Leverkusen took 10.96 seconds, meaning he was only 0.84 seconds slower than Makaay's record.
It remains one of the closest challenges to the record since Makaay established it. UEFA's historical records show that Makaay and Jonas are the only two players to have scored inside the opening 20 seconds of a Champions League match.
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