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From Pelé to Origi: Ranking the youngest World Cup goalscorers for selected nations
22nd June, 2026 10:34 AM
Spain’s Lamine Yamal became the latest teenage sensation to score a World Cup goal, netting at 18 years of age as he led La Roja to a resounding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
The Barcelona wonderkid needed only ten minutes into his first start to put Luis de la Fuente’s charges on course for the massive win.
His strike, at 18 years and 11 months, saw him just edge out Lionel Messi to become the eighth-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history.
K24 Digital Sports details the list of the youngest goal scorers, which also features the recently retired Divock Origi.
Origi opted to represent Belgium despite his Kenyan descent through his father, Mike Origi Okoth. Scoring an 88th-minute winner during Belgium’s 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil, Origi remains the youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer for the Red Devils.
Legendary Brazilian icon Pelé still tops the leaderboard as the youngest-ever World Cup scorer, having found the net at just 17 years and 239 days old.
Mexico’s Manuel Rosas sits in second place, scoring at 18 years and 93 days old, while Gavi, who scored for Spain in the 2022 edition at 18 years and 110 days old, rounds out the top three.
Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye is ranked fourth on the global list.
His consolation strike in their 2026 group-stage tie against France broke a continental record; the young PSG winger came on as a substitute to score at 18 years and 143 days old, officially making him the youngest African scorer in World Cup history.
Others in the list include England’s Michael Owen, ranked 5th; Messi, at 9th; Jude Bellingham, at 13th; and Kylian Mbappe, at 15th.
