Moroccan international Ismail Sebbari has entered the World Cup record books after scoring the fastest goal ever by an Arab player in the tournament's history, and the second-fastest by an African, netting after just 71 seconds against Scotland at the World Cup finals currently being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He trails only Ghana's former striker Asamoah Gyan, who scored after just 68 seconds against the Czech Republic at the 2006 World Cup.
Although it is the fastest goal in the current edition so far, Sebbari's record falls well short of the fastest goal in World Cup history, which belongs to Turkish striker Hakan Şükür, who scored his famous goal after just 11 seconds in the third-place play-off against South Korea at the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.
According to FIFA, the goal came after a South Korean passing error, which Ilhan Mansız seized upon and laid off to Şükür, who struck it directly into the net, paving the way for Turkey's 3-2 victory and their bronze medal.
Czechoslovakia's Václav Mašek holds second place in the list of fastest World Cup goals, having scored after 15 seconds at the 1962 Chile edition, followed by Germany's Ernst Lehner (25 seconds in 1934), England's Bryan Robson (28 seconds in 1982), and American Clint Dempsey (30 seconds in 2014).
Below is the list of the fastest goals in World Cup history:
1- Hakan Şükür (Turkey) – 11 seconds (2002)
2- Václav Mašek (Czechoslovakia) – 15 seconds (1962)
3- Ernst Lehner (Germany) – 25 seconds (1934)
4- Bryan Robson (England) – 28 seconds (1982)
5- Clint Dempsey (United States) – 30 seconds (2014)
6- Bernard Lacombe (France) – 31 seconds (1978)
7- Arne Nyberg (Sweden) – 35 seconds (1938)
8- Emil Vernaut (Romania) – 35 seconds (1938)
9- Flórián Albert (Hungary) – 50 seconds (1962)
10- Adalbert Deşu (Romania) – 50 seconds (1930)
11- Pak Seung-Zin (North Korea) – 50 seconds (1966)
12- Celso Ayala (Paraguay) – 52 seconds (1998)
13- Mathias Jørgensen (Denmark) – 55 seconds (2018)