Top 10 Youngest Goalscorers in Euro History

The European Championships feature some of the very best footballers in the world competing against one and another to help see their nation earn the right to call themselves the best in Europe. As a result, it can be difficult to make your mark, but some stars have managed to come into the competition and have an immediate impact.

There have been a number of very promising prospects who answered the test of the Euros with ease and scored very early in their careers. Some of the best players in football were scoring in the tournament at a young age, while others started strong, but ultimately never reached those heights again. These are the 10 youngest goalscorers in Euro history.

Pietro Anastasi

Italy (20 years and 64 days)

The only non-teenager to make the list, Pietro Anastasi scored his first Euro goal 64 days after he turned 20 years old. The strike came against Yugoslavia all the way back in 1968 and helped steer Italy to a 2-0 win against their opponents. The goal was a pivotal one as it came in the European Championships final and helped his side lift the trophy for the first time ever.

While he never went on to have an illustrious international career with his country, Anastasi did ultimately play 25 times for Italy and scored eight times along the way. None were more important than that first Euro goal, though.

Patrick Kluivert

Netherlands (19 years and 353 days)

While the Netherlands’ 4-1 loss to England in 1996 was a brutal affair for the country, there were at least some positives for Patrick Kluivert as he got on the scoresheet. His first goal in a European Championship, at just under 20 years old would have been special anyway, but the fact it was enough to see his country advance in the tournament as a result of scoring more goals than Scotland made it even better.

He’d already proven he could perform for the Netherlands before the strike, but he went on to have a fantastic international career, scoring 40 goals in total for his nation, across 79 appearances and a decade-long run.

Cristian Chivu

Romania (19 years and 238 days)

Until Euro 2024’s 3-0 thrashing of Ukraine, Romania had only ever won one game in the tournament before and that came against England in 2000 when Cristian Chivu became one of the youngest goalscorers in Euro history. The Three Lions were left shell-shocked as they were beaten 3-2 by Romani and the 19-year-old was a key figure in the result.

Considering his status as a defender, goals weren’t something he stumbled upon all too often, but he got one when it mattered against England, but by the time he called time on his international career, he’d only scored three times in 75 appearances. Chivu was more known for his excellent club career, starring for Ajax, Roma and Inter Milan throughout the 2000s and early 2010s.

Ferenc Bene

Hungary (19 years and 183 days)

Considering the incredible goalscoring form that Ferenc Bene found himself in during the summer of 1964, it’s no surprise that he managed to get on the scoresheet to score his first goal at the European Championships for Hungary that year. With his nation getting to the semi-finals, his strike against Spain wasn’t enough to get them through to the final, as they lost 2-1 on the day. He then scored again in the third place play-off match afterwards.

He wasn’t done there, though. Bene later went on to represent Hungary at the Olympics later that summer and scored a simply ridiculous 24 goals in 13 appearances, including six strikes in one game. Those exploits led his nation to a gold medal, but his excellent form all started earlier that summer in the Euros when he scored his first goal in the competition at just 19 years old.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal (19 years and 128 days)

The European Championships’ all-time leading goalscorer, it should come as a surprise to no one that Cristiano Ronaldo got his tally started in the competition at a very young age. In fact, until a certain Turkish star broke his record in 2024, the Portuguese superstar was the youngest player to have ever scored on his Euro debut with his effort against Greece coming when he was just 19 years and 128 days.

It was a sign of things to come, as Ronaldo has embarked on one of the greatest careers of all time, and there’s very little doubt that he’s the greatest international player ever. No one has scored more international goals than the Al-Nassr man.

Arda Guler

Turkey (19 years and 114 days)

While Ronaldo’s record as the youngest player to score on their Euro debut stood for over two decades, it was finally beaten by Turkey’s young superstar Arda Guler when he scored an absolute cracker to give his nation the lead against Georgia. In one of Euro 2024’s best games, the Real Madrid star scored an incredible effort from outside the box to put Turkey up 2-1.

They went on to win the game 3-1, but it was Guler’s goal that had everyone talking afterwards. At just 19 years and 114 days old, the midfielder has a very bright future ahead of him, and should flourish in the Real Madrid squad for years to come.

Dragan Stojkovic

Yugoslavia (19 years and 108 days)

Years before he became Serbia head coach, and when the nation was still a part of Yugoslavia, Dragan Stokjovic entered the history books when he became the youngest goalscorer in Euros history. His strike against France in 1984 wasn’t enough to get his side the victory, as they were beaten 3-2, but it was still a momentous occasion for the former midfielder.

His record as the youngest goalscorer has since been beaten, and there are three younger goalscorers now, but it stood for two decades and is nothing to scoff at. As a midfielder, scoring wasn’t necessarily his bread and butter, but Stokjovic still ultimately finished his international career with 15 goals in 84 games.

Renato Sanches

Portugal (18 years and 317 days)

For a while, it looked like Renato Sanches was going to become the next big superstar in football. The Portuguese midfielder had shown tremendous promise early in his career and played a pivotal role in his nation’s success at Euro 2016. He even got on the scoresheet during the competition, with a strike in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Poland, becoming one of the youngest goalscorers in the competition’s history.

Things haven’t worked out quite like he’d have wanted in the years since, and he hasn’t played a single game for his country since 2021. At 26 years old, there’s still plenty of time for Sanches to turn things around and force his way back into Portugal’s plans, but it will take some work.

Wayne Rooney

England (18 years and 237 days)

Euro 2004 was truly a breakout tournament for Wayne Rooney. The Englishman looked like the best player in the world as he terrorised teams with his country and for a very, very short period, he was the youngest goalscorer in Euro history. His strike, which came in a 3-0 win over Switzerland occurred on June 17 2004, but was broken just days later.

While he eventually moved into a more midfield role towards the end of his career, it’s important to remember just how natural a goalscorer Rooney was for years. He retired as England and Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer, and while his record with the Three Lions has been beaten by Harry Kane, his accolade at Old Trafford still stands.

Johan Vonlanthen

Switzerland (18 years and 141 days)

Just four days after Rooney became the youngest goalscorer in Euros history with a goal against Switzerland, a Switzerland player broke his record. Johan Vonlanthen was just 18 years and 141 days old when he hit the back of the net for the Swiss against France in a 3-1 loss.

The strike came in the middle of a year when Vonlanthen scored five times in seven appearances for his national team, an incredible return for an 18-year-old. His output dropped off as his career went on, with just a further two goals to his name in a Switzerland shirt. The right-winger played a total of 40 games for his nation but went the last nine years of his career without a single cap.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 17/06/2024.