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UEFA Champions League Records: Fastest ever goals

A quickfire goal at the start of a football match is always an enthralling moment for supporters to behold and recall fondly for many years to come.

We take a look back through the annals of time to highlight the fastest ever goals recorded in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

Football

5) Clarence Seedorf - 21.06 seconds (Schalke 2-2 Milan, Sep 2005)

A bona fide UEFA Champions League icon with no shortage of individual records in the competition, Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf converted one of the quickest goals in the tournament's history back in the group stages of 2005.

The only man to have won the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs - Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan - it was with the Italians that the midfield dynamo registered his quickest goal, firing the Rossoneri into an early lead against Schalke at the Veltins Arena.

After a neat passing move in midfield from Milan, Seedorf was able to catch Schalke goalkeeper Frank Rost off guard by taking aim from around 30 yards out, with the skipper for the hosts seeing the ball squirm underneath him.

A moment of genius from a true UEFA Champions League great.

4) Alessandro Del Piero - 20.12 seconds (Man Utd 3-2 Juventus, Oct 1997)

Another great of European football, Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero was able to strike in rapid fashion for the Old Lady at Old Trafford of all venues.

In a heavyweight UEFA Champions League group stage contest against Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United away from home, a moment of individual brilliance from Del Piero sent the Italians into an early lead.

Latching onto the ball in behind the Manchester United defence, the diminutive Italian was able to sit Peter Schmeichel down with a feint before sliding the ball into the net.

Despite Juventus' sprightly breakthrough, the Red Devils were able to fight back to a 3-2 victory with Teddy Sheringham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs on the scoresheet.

3) Gilberto Silva - 20.07 seconds (Porto 0-4 Arsenal, Sep 2002)

More universally renowned for his ball-winning capacity and defensive instincts as one of the best holding midfielders of his generation, Gilberto Silva is also one of the fastest Champions League goalscorers of all time.

Joining Arsenal on the back of his World Cup win with Brazil in the summer of 2002, Gilberto Silva won two Premier League titles and reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League final during his time in North London.

It was in his maiden season with Arsenal that the Brazilian netted a memorable 1st minute goal in the UEFA Champions League, with Gilberto Silva guiding home a clever Thierry Henry cut-back in a 4-0 group stage victory away at PSV Eindhoven.

2) Jonas - 10.96 seconds (Valencia 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Nov 2011)

Clear in second place, Brazilian forward Jonas netted one of the most famous goals of his career in a 3-1 win for Valencia against Bayer Leverkusen in the group stages of the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League.

Jonas' history-making effort came at the expense of youthful Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno, with the German shot-stopper mis-kicking the ball right to the Brazilian's feet and paying the price.

Keeping an ice cold head when presented with such a fortuitous opportunity to give Valencia an early breakthrough at the Mestalla, Jonas calmly bent the ball beyond Leno and into the bottom left corner.

1) Roy Makaay - 10.12 seconds (Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid, Mar 2007)

A record which will be difficult to beat, Roy Makaay's early opener for Bayern Munich in the second leg of a round of 16 triumph against the mighty Real Madrid will live long in the memories of supporters of the Bavarians.

Trailing 3-2 on aggregate after a first-leg defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu, a loose touch from Los Blancos legend Roberto Carlos gifted the ball to Hasan Salihamidzic straight from kick off.

The Bosnian midfielder kept a calm head and displayed tremendous vision to quickly slip the ball into Makaay's path, with the Dutchman sliding home a clinical first-time finish.

This record-breaking goal turned out to be a decisive one for Bayern, with the six-time UEFA Champions League winners prevailing 4-4 on aggregate over Real Madrid courtesy of the away goals rule.

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