Top 10 youngest goalscorers at FIFA World Cup

This tournament has been an ideal platform for players to make their presence known.

There is no tournament that can match the prestige and importance of the World Cup for any footballer. Representing one's own nation in the World Cup is the highest sense of honor. Nothing can surpass the enormous value of the FIFA World Cup in the world of sports. Young players, in particular, dream of playing a World Cup game, which does not come easy to them. It's always challenging for a player to perform up to the expectations and pressures of millions of people behind them.

World Cups, however, are also great platforms for showcasing talent. Kylian Mbappe, James Rodriguez, and Lionel Messi are just some of the names that have emerged through this centre-stage. In this article, we look at the top 10 youngest goalscorers at the FIFA World Cup.

10. Divock Origi (Belgium)- 19 years 65 days

Divock Origi is a Belgian striker who most people know from his tenure at Liverpool. Origi is known for his super-sub ability and he showcased the same during the 2014 World Cup. He was part of Belgium's young squad at the 2014 World Cup which had emerging names like Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and others. He was 19 years and 65 days old when he scored a goal in that tournament and became the 9th youngest player to do that.

9. Julian Green (USA)- 19 years 25 days

Julian Green is an American attacking midfielder, a product of the Bayern Munich academy. He rose through the ranks in Munich but was never given the opportunity to make a name for himself. During the 2014 World Cup, he was the youngest player to score and is the 8th youngest scorer. However, his career hasn't progressed as much since a promising start and he currently plays in the German second division. However, Julian has age on his side.

8. Aleksander Tirnanic (Yugoslavia)- 18 years 365 days

Aleksander Tirnanic is a former Yugoslavian player and manager. Though the Belgrade-born winger is no longer with us, he will always remain a part of World Cup history. During the 1930 World Cup, the 18-year-old Tirnanic became the seventh youngest player to score in a World Cup. He scored a total of 12 goals for his nation and also served as Yugoslavia's manager two times in his career.

7. Lionel Messi (Argentina)- 18 years 358 days

Lionel Messi is arguably the biggest name in the world of football and almost every player dreams to reach his level. In the 2004-05 season, Messi caught the attention of the world. However, at the 2006 World Cup, the world saw his true potential. He was only 18 years and 358 days old when he scored his first World Cup goal, which made him the sixth youngest player in history. 

6. Dimitri Sychev (Russia)- 18 years 232 days

Dimitri Sychev is a former Russian attacking midfielder. He is known for his stint with Lokomotiv Moscow, where he appeared 224 times and scored 73 goals. In 2002, Sychev was a member of Russia's World Cup side. He scored against Belgium on 14th June to become that tournament's youngest goal scorer and fifth on the all-time list.

5. Nicolas Kovacs (Romania)- 18 years 198 days

Nicolas Kovacs is a Romanian legend and was one of the biggest names in world football before the Second World War. He scored a total of 149 goals in his club career which spanned over 19 years. He was only 18 years and 198 days old when he scored a goal against Peru in the 1930 World Cup to ink his name in the young goal-scorers' list.

4. Michael Owen (England)- 18 Years 191 days

Michael Owen is a very popular figure in English football and is regarded as one of the biggest unfulfilled talents of all time. His career took off at a rapid pace and he was hailed as the next Pele. However, his career took a turn for the worse after his move from Liverpool in 2004. Until then, however, he was an absolute force, and it all began after his World Cup goal in 1998, which made him a household name at just 18.

3. Gavi (Spain) - 18 years 110 days

The young Spanish midfielder wrote his name into history with a goal in his debut FIFA World Cup appearance for Spain. He became the youngest-ever player to represent at the World Cup after making his debut against Costa Rica on November 23, 20222. The Barcelona youngster then added to his feather with a sumptuous finish in the 74th minute in Spain's 7-0 victory. The goal makes him the third youngest ever to score in the FIFA World Cup and the youngest since the great Pele in 1958. With the goal, Gavi also became Spain's youngest ever goalscorer at the mega tournament.

2. Manuel Rosas (Mexico)- 18 Years 93 days

In Mexican football, Manuel Rosas is a legendary name that inspired generations of players. He was a centre-back and during the 1930 World Cup, he announced his arrival. He scored two goals for Mexico in a difficult match against Argentina on 19th July 1930, in which Argentina won 6-3.

1. Pele (Brazil)- 17 Years 249 days

Pele is considered to be the first superstar in the history of football. It was he who took the game to a whole new level and inspired generations. The majority of Pele's career was spent in the Brazilian league, but it was his heroics for Brazil that made him a star. While he holds many fantastic football records, his first big record was becoming the youngest goal-scorer at the World Cup, aged just 17 on 19 June 1958.