Youngest goal-scorers in FIFA World Cup: After Pele and Manuel Rosas now Gavi becomes third highest scorer in the Biggest Stage

The 18-year-old Gavi struck on 74 minutes after a cross from Alvaro Morata and wrote his name into the history books at the same time. Gavi is now the goal-scorers in FIFA World Cup behind Pelé and Manuel Rosas after display in the first match in Qatar for Spain.

The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest platforms for football players to showcase their talent and leave behind a lasting legacy.

While most young players often wilt under pressure or devote years on the training grounds before making their mark on the world stage, the likes of Pele and Lionel Messi stand out among the elite few who achieved success early.

Undaunted by pressure, some of them even emerged as the youngest goal-scorers in FIFA World Cup and went on to carve a niche for themselves.

5. Nicolae Kovács, Romania - 18 years, 197 days

Romanian forward Nicolae Kovács scored his only goal at a FIFA World Cup in Romania's 3-1 win over Peru at the 1930 tournament. Kovács would go on to play one more game at the 1930 finals, before a further appearance at both the 1934 tournament and in 1938 without scoring.

With team-mate Constantin Stanciu also scoring for Romania earlier in this match, aged just 19 years and 92 days old, this is the only occasion in World Cup history where two teenagers have scored in the same game.

4. Michael Owen, England - 18 years and 190 days

England were trailing 1-0 against Romania in the 1998 World Cup before forward Michael Owen scored in the 83rd minute to equalise for the 1966 world champions.

Though England lost the match with Romania scoring a last-minute winner, Michael Owen, at the age of 18 years and 190 days, became England's youngest player to score in the FIFA World Cup and third in the all-time list.

With goals in the UEFA Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup and also Euro 2004, Michael Owen is the only player to have scored in four consecutive major tournaments for England.

Gavi, Spain - 18 years and 110 days

Not only did Gavi become Spain's youngest ever player when he started their opening group game against Costa Rica in the 2022 World Cup, but he marked that special occasion with a goal. In doing so, he became the third-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history, and the youngest European to net at the tournament.

Gavi's sweet volley from the edge of the box was Spain's fifth goal in a 7-0 rout of Costa Rica, incidentally a game where they broke the World Cup record for the highest possession and most successful passes in 90 minutes.

2.Manuel Rosas, Mexico - 18 years, 90 days

Mexican defender Manuel Rosas is the second youngest goalscorer in the men's World Cup at the age of 18 years and 90 days. However, it was an unfortunate self goal in Mexico's group game against Chile in the inaugural Football World Cup in 1930. This was the first own-goal scored in FIFA World Cup history.

Three days later, Rosas made it up by scoring two goals albeit in the losing cause in Mexico's 6-3 defeat against Argentina. His first goal was scored from the penalty kick and is the first penalty ever scored in the men's FIFA World Cup.

No matter how you look at it, Rosas remains second on the list of youngest goal-scorers in the history of the competition.

1. Pele, Brazil - 17 years and 239 days

Pele is the youngest footballer to score a goal at the men's FIFA World Cup. The Brazilian striker was 17 years and 239 days old when he scored his first World Cup goal during the quarter-final match against Wales in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.

After his volley helped Brazil beat Wales by a solitary goal, Pele went on to become the youngest footballer to score a World Cup hat-trick in Brazil's 5-2 win against France in the semi-finals.

To top it off, Pele scored a brace in Brazil's other 5-2 win over hosts Sweden to become the youngest player to play and score in a football World Cup final. To this day, Pele remains the only football player to score in a FIFA World Cup before turning 18.

Pele was also part of the Brazilian teams that won the 1962 and 1970 FIFA World Cups. He is regarded as one of the greatest players to have graced the game.

This completes our article on the youngest goal-scorers in FIFA World Cup. Follow Sportz Point.