ISL: Top 10 fastest goals scored in history of Indian Super League

These goal scorers have etched their names into the record books of ISL.

Early goals in football games are quite rare, mostly because teams need some time to blend into matches before they can showcase their attacking firepower.

However, occasionally, a few freaky starts to games have seen many early goals – inside the first minute itself, being scored over the years. The Indian Super League (ISL) has not been any stranger to early goals.

While the league normally sees its games take some time to produce high octane action, a few games in the past have begun in blistering fashion. In the match between Punjab FC & Odisha FC on 14th October 2026, Raphaël Messi Bouli scored his first goal in the ISL for the Shers within 33 seconds. Which marks the 6th fastest goal in ISL history.

In this article we will take a look at some of the other fastest goals in the ISL.

10 . Mohammed Rafi – 48 Seconds

Mohammed Rafi has been part of quite a few impressive ISL records, including becoming the third Indian player to score in an ISL final in 2016 (for Kerala Blasters). In the previous edition he also scored one of the fastest goals in the ISL.

The agile forward headed into the game against FC Pune City with a surge of confidence and did not shy away from showing his goal scoring brilliance.

Kerala started the match in all-out attack fashion and striker Chris Dagnall got a hold of possession in a promising area. Before Pune City could create a solid defensive shape, the striker sent in a cross for Rafi into the box – one which the striker headed in with conviction. Rafi scored 48 seconds into the match to stun the opponents. While Pune rallied back to win the game, the striker had a day.

9. Alaaeddine Ajaraie – 46 seconds

On 30th December 2024, NorthEast United travelled to the Mumbai Football Arena in Andheri to play against Mumbai City FC in the 14th matchweek of the 2024-25 ISL season.

In the first minute of the game, the top goalscorer for the Highlanders that season, Parthib Gogoi would send in a cross towards the Mumbai City FC goal. The cross would beat the Islanders’ keeper, Rehenesh TP. The ball would then be chested and helped towards the goal by Alaaeddine Ajaraie.

The goal in the first minute was only the begining, as much to the disappointment of the West Coast Brigade, The Highlanders would go on to score 2 more goals and win the match 3-0. Alaaeddine Ajaraie was awarded player of the match due to his brace.

8. Daniel Chima – 46 seconds

Daniel Chima scored in the first minute of the game for Jamshedpur FC against Bengaluru FC on 5th February 2022.

The goal was possible when there was a loose ball in the Blues’ defensive box. Roshan Naorem tried to clear the ball, but was beaten to reaching the ball by Daniel Chima, who then struck the ball into the goal, despite pressure from Alan Costa right beside him.

Bengaluru FC would later comeback 3-1 from 1-0 down in the first minute. The equalizer for the Blues was scored by Captain Sunil Chhetri, who overtook Ferran Corominas as the 2nd highest top scorer in the ISL. The two remaining goals would be scored by Cleiton Silva.

7. Raphaël Messi Bouli – 39 seconds

The most recent addition to this list, Raphaël Messi Bouli’s 39th second goal would be against Odisha FC on 14th October, 2026.

The goal would be possible due to the attack started by Punjab FC’s new signing Diego Raposo, who would then release the ball to Muhammad Suhail, who passed the ball to the overlapping Muhammad Uvais. The Indian left-back would cross the ball towards the Juggernauts’ last line of defense, where Messi Bouli would guide the ball towards the goal.

Odisha FC would later find their footing and manage to score an equalizer. The Cameroonian Striker would round out the match by scoring again, only this time in the last minute of the game.

6. Marcelinho – 37 seconds

On 15th January 2020, Hyderabad FC played at home against Odisha FC. Marcelinho scored against the Kalinga Warriors in just 37 seconds of the game.

The goal was possible only due to Néstor Gordillo of Hyderabad FC sending a cross into the final third, which set up a volley for Nikhil Poojary, who’s shot was saved by the Odisha FC custodian, Dorronsoro. The ball then fell to the Brazillian’s feet, who then struck the ball to the bottom left of the goal posts.

Despite the early lead, Odisha FC would come back 1-2 from 1-0 down in the first minute courtesy of an Aridane brace.

5. PV Vishu – 32 seconds

PV Vishnu netted his first ISL goal on 29 February, 2024 against Odisha FC. He gave East Bengal the lead in the 32nd second of the game.

The goal was all due to the brilliance of the East Bengal forward. He received the ball from Aleksandar Pantic, who sent a small chip to go over the Odisha FC midfielders. Vishnu then took a few touches to reach the Odisha FC box, where he then cut the ball to his strong left foot and took a shot.

The shot kept low as it eventually found the back of the net. His goal was not good enough to give the Torchbearers a winning chance, as the Juggernauts would find two goals in the 40th minute and the 61st minute of the game, defeating East Bengal FC 2-1 on the night.

4. Chris Dagnall – 29 seconds

Chris Dagnall’s hard work paid off in Kerala Blasters’ game against NorthEast United in 2015 and he almost made the goal for himself. He snatched the ball off an opponent and sent teammate Josue Prieto Currais forward, all while making a darting run into the penalty area.

Currais played the ball to Antonio German in a promising position down the left wing, allowing him to put in a perfect cross to the marauding Dagnall in the box.

The English striker made no mistake in tucking away from close range, stunning the Highlanders with a goal in 29 seconds.

3. Cleiton Silva – 25 seconds

Cleiton Silva scored Bengaluru FC’s first goal against Mumbai City FC on 15th February, 2021. The goal would be the first of two scored by Cleiton on the night.

 The build up to the goal started with Sunil Chhetri playing a perfectly timed through ball to Udanta Singh on the right side of the pitch. The ball collected by Udanta, was then crossed towards the six-yard box where Cleiton was present to smash the ball into the net.

The momentum from the first goal helped the Blues score 3 more goals in the game, while also conceding 2 goals from Mumbai City FC. All 3 goal scorers in the game, Cleiton Silva, Sunil Chhetri & Adam le Fondre scored a brace.

2. Jerry Mawihmingthanga – 23 seconds

Years after Dagnall had set that record, Jerry Mawihmingthanga broke it in spectacular fashion while playing for Jamshedpur FC. Incidentally, it was against Kerala Blasters when the young winger got the opportunity. Jamshedpur started the game by thumping the ball forward into the Kerala Blasters area and retained possession in the final third.

After a flurry of quick passes, the ball fell to forward Ashim Biswas and allowed him to take a shot at goal from the edge of the box. He was unable to finish his chance properly, but young Jerry pounced on the error to round the Kerala goalkeeper and coolly put the ball in the back of the net.

It was a stroke of luck and clever work from Jerry which enabled him to set this insane record and even after Thapa’s early strike this season, it’s unlikely that this feat will be bettered anytime soon.

1. David Williams

On 5th January 2022, David Williams scored what is still, the fastest goal in ISL history, at only the 12th second of Mohun Bagan vs Hyderabad FC.

The goal was scored through individual brilliance from the Australian. David received a simple pass from his teammate, Hugo Boumous, a couple of yards away from the Hyderabad FC defensive box. Williams then took a left footed shot from outside the box, which was almost stopped by the Hyderabad FC custodian Laxmikant Kattimani.

The match would be far from over, as Bartholomew Ogbeche would equalize the score for the Nawabs in the 17th minute of the game. The next goal of the game wouldn’t come until the 64th minute, when a ball headed by Joni Kauko was deflected into his own goal by Hyderabad defender Ashish Rai.

When all hope seemed lost for them, Javier Siverio would score from an Akash Mishra cross in the dying minutes of the game to equalize the score once more for the Nawabs, ending the match with a score line of 2-2.

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