Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner set a new record for the fastest goal in international football during a friendly against Slovakia on Saturday.
Just six seconds after the kick-off, the 24-year-old had sprinted from the centre circle, evaded three challenges, and unleashed a low shot from outside the box into the bottom corner.
The away section erupted in celebration at the Tehelne pole stadium in Bratislava, while Slovakia’s home fans watched in disbelief.
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The timing of Baumgartner’s goal beat Lukas Podolski’s for Germany against Ecuador in 2013, where he found the back of the net after just seven seconds.
Podolski, who played for both Arsenal and Bayern Munich, featured 130 times for Germany and scored 49 goals.
Podolski spent three seasons at Arsenal, where he won the FA Cup in 2013-14. He scored 31 goals in 82 appearances for the north London side.
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Baumgartner, meanwhile, is a midfielder who plays for German club RB Leipzig. He signed a five-year contract in June 2023, having joined from Hoffenheim.
He has been capped on 34 occasions for Austria.
6 SEKUND! 🤯🤯🤯
Christoph Baumgartner i Austria na prowadzeniu ⚽️🔥 pic.twitter.com/L5C3xzY6dS
— Polsat Sport (@polsatsport) March 23, 2024
On a remarkable evening for fast goals, Florian Wirtz scored against France after seven seconds to set a new mark for Germany, finding the net a few hundredths of a second quicker than Podolski did in 2013.
Wirtz, the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, was assisted for the goal by Toni Kroos, the Real Madrid midfielder making his first Germany appearance three years after announcing his international retirement.
Kolejny mecz, kolejna bramka w mniej niż 10 SEKUND 😲
Florian Wirtz z golem, Toni Kroos z asystą❗️ Niemcy na prowadzeniu 🔥
Polsat Sport Premium 1 📺 pic.twitter.com/fyDM7WkRQy
— Polsat Sport (@polsatsport) March 23, 2024
The goal was the first Wirtz, a rising star in European football at the age of 20, has scored for his country and helped them beat France 2-0.
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(Christian Hofer/Getty Images)