World Cup finals have been some of the tensest matches ever watched down the years with narrow victories proving to be a winning formula.
A positive start can define a team’s chances of World Cup glory, with an early goal offering an incredible confidence boost, as the eyes of the world focus on your side.
However, nerves have played a crucial role in recent finals, as players look to avoid mistakes on the biggest stage, with early goals reducing since 2006.
The last three finals have included two 1-0 wins in added time, in 2010 and 2014, as Spain and Germany were forced to work overtime to secure World Cup glory.
In total, there have been 77 goals scored in 21 World Cup finals since 1930, but only one of the last five has featured over two goals scored inside 90 minutes.
Fastest goal scored in a World Cup final
With the pressure of World Cup glory matched up against bitter defeat, finals tend to be tactical battles, with group stage and early knockout round thrillers left behind.
The amount of early goals scored has reduced significantly in modern finals with France 4-2 win over Croatia in 2018 a rare break from the overall pattern.
| Minute Scored | Team | Goalscorer | Final Result | Year |
| 2nd | Netherlands | Johannes Neeskens | Netherlands 1 West Germany 2 | 1974 |
| 4th | Sweden | Nils Liedhom | Brazil 5 Sweden 2 | 1958 |
| 6th | Italy | Gino Colaussi | Italy 4 Hungary 2 | 1938 |
| 6th | Hungary | Ferenc Puskas | West Germany 3 Hungary 2 | 1954 |
| 7th | France | Zinedine Zidane | Italy 1 France 1 (Italy won 5-3 on pens) | 2006 |
| 8th | Hungary | Zoltan Czibor | West Germany 3 Hungary 2 | 1954 |
| 8th | Hungary | Pal Titkos | Italy 4 Hungary 2 | 1938 |
| 9th | Brazil | Vava | Brazil 5 Sweden 2 | 1958 |
| 10th | West Germany | Max Morlock | West Germany 3 Hungary 2 | 1954 |
| 12th | West Germany | Helmut Haller | England 4 West Germany 2 | 1966 |
Earliest goal in World Cup final history
The 1974 World Cup final between the Netherlands and West Germany pitted the two European powerhouses together for the first time in a World Cup final.
Captained by iconic stars Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer, the final was tipped to be a fine battle, and it started with a bang in Berlin.
Cruyff’s slaloming run into the West Germany box was ended by Uli Hoeneß’ poor challenge and Johannes Neeskens calmly buried from the penalty – in the first ever spot kick awarded in a World Cup final.
However, the hosts were quick the respond, as Paul Breitner converted his own penalty shortly after, and the iconic Gerd Muller steered home the winner just before the break.
A 3-1 victory secured West Germany’s first World Cup since 1954, as the Netherlands lost back-to-back finals, in 1974 and 1978.
Do teams who score first win the World Cup final?
The temptation to sit back after scoring early has come back to haunt many teams in a World Cup final as the pressure is ramped up.
In 21 World Cup finals, scoring first has offered a mixed return of emerging victorious, with 12 finals won by the first scorer, ahead of the 2022 showdown between Argentina and France.
| Nation | Goalscorer | Opponent | Year | Final Result |
| Czechoslovakia | Antonin Puc (71′) | Italy | 1934 | Italy 2 Czechoslovakia 1 |
| Brazil | Friaca (47′) | Uruguay | 1950 | Uruguay 2 Brazil 1 |
| Hungary | Ferenc Puskas (6′) | West Germany | 1954 | West Germany 3 Hungary 2 |
| Sweden | Nils Liedholm (4′) | Brazil | 1958 | Brazil 5 Sweden 2 |
| Czechoslovakia | Josef Masopust (15′) | Brazil | 1962 | Brazil 3 Czechoslovakia 1 |
| West Germany | Helmut Haller (12′) | England | 1966 | England 4 West Germany 2 |
| Netherlands | Johannes Neeskens (2′) | West Germany | 1974 | Netherlands 1 West Germany 2 |
| France | Zinedine Zidane (7′) | Italy | 2006 | Italy 1 France 1 (Italy won 5-3 on pens) |
* The 1994 World Cup final between Italy and Brazil ended 0-0 after extra time with Brazil winning 3-2 on penalties.
