By the time it takes you to read this article, some Roma players would have already been able to score a goal.
Roma certainly know how to do things the hard way, but sometimes they have come out of the traps and made a jolting impact early on in a game.
Here’s a quick recap of all the players to have scored in less than 60 seconds of a game for Roma in the 21st Century.
Matías Soulé vs Empoli (March 2025)
It took Soulé just 22 seconds to put Roma ahead against Empoli after latching onto an swerving cross from Anass Salah-Eddine and firing into the bottom corner with his left foot. It was the quickest league goal Roma had scored since Opta started collecting data in 2004 – and also the earliest winning goal, since it turned out to be the only one of the match. Soulé later claimed the MVP award as his confidence flowed throughout his performance.
Edoardo Bove vs Slavia Prague (October 2023)
After scoring the goal that took Roma to the 2023 Europa League final, Edoardo Bove scored once in the following season’s edition too. His opening goal was later added to by Romelu Lukaku as José Mourinho’s Roma claimed a 2-0 home win over Slavia Prague in the group stage.
Tammy Abraham vs Lazio (March 2022)
One of the most memorable performances from Tammy Abraham’s impressionable first season at Roma was in the second derby of the season. Having funnily enough scored in the last minute of the previous game before the derby, he scored in its opening minute to set Mourinho’s side up for a thrilling 3-0 win. Roma’s fans had displayed some choreography before kick-off, so those underneath it didn’t even get to see the goal live before they put it away!
Tammy Abraham vs Atalanta (December 2021)
And that Lazio goal wasn’t even Abraham’s first first-minute goal of the season. He had also done the same against Atalanta that December, as Roma went on to win 4-1.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan vs Cluj (November 2020)
Roma claimed a comfortable 5-0 win at home to Cluj in the 2020-21 Europa League group stage, set in motion by Mkhitaryan’s first-minute opener.
Patrik Schick vs Virtus Entella (January 2019)
Patrik Schick found goals hard to come by in his two seasons at Roma, but when lower-ranked Virtus Entella were the opponents in a 2018-19 Coppa Italia game, he got up and running early on in what became a 4-0 win. He later scored two minutes into the second half as well, recording his only Roma brace.
Cengiz Ünder vs Hellas Verona (February 2018)
Cengiz Ünder had been starting to show glimpses of potential in the winter of 2018, and it burst into fruition when he was entrusted by Eusebio Di Francesco with a start against Hellas Verona – from which he scored his first Roma goal with an explosive left-footed effort 43 seconds in. It was the only goal in the game.
Stephan El Shaarawy vs Chelsea (October 2017)
There were plenty of memorable moments on Roma’s run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2017-18, many in the knockout phase, but the first real glimpse of Di Francesco’s side being able to blow away the favourites against them was in the group stage against Chelsea. After a pulsating 3-3 draw away, Roma stamped their authority on home turf when Stephan El Shaarawy hit a half-volley from the edge of the box. Roma raced into the lead and went on to win 3-0.
Francesco Totti vs Cesena (January 2012)
If you have 307 goals to your name for a club, then the law of averages would indicate some of those were less than a minute in – and that was indeed the case for Francesco Totti. On this occasion, he was set up by Erik Lamela to give Roma the lead against Cesena in a Serie A match – and Lamela assisted him again just seven minutes later. It ended 5-1.
Daniele De Rossi vs Chievo (January 2010)
Claudio Ranieri’s Roma winning a league game 1-0 with a goal inside the first minute happened not just in his third spell in charge, but also back in his first, when Daniele De Rossi got an early winner against Chievo.
Francesco Totti vs Košice (August 2009)
The fastest goal in Roma’s recorded history in any competition was scored by Totti just 18 seconds into a Europa League qualifier against Košice. Rather than being the only goal, it was the foundation of a big win, with Roma triumphing 7-1.
Francesco Totti vs Inter (May 2007)
Totti turned up on the big occasions too, such as the in the 2007 Coppa Italia final. In the first leg against Inter at the Olimpico, Il Capitano opened the scoring stunningly early. De Rossi doubled the lead within five minutes as Roma claimed a 6-2 win that Inter would find impossible to overturn, leading to Luciano Spalletti’s side lifting the trophy eight days later in Milan.
Simone Perrotta vs Palermo (March 2006)
Roma made an instant impact in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Palermo when Simone Perrotta put them ahead. They actually went on to lose the game 2-1, but Perrotta’s away goal was pivotal, as it meant Roma advanced to the final after they won the return leg 1-0.
Alberto Aquilani vs Aris (September 2005)
Despite the disasters of the 2004-05 season, Roma earned themselves a place in the 2005-06 UEFA Cup as Coppa Italia runners up. Their journey started when they welcomed Aris to the Olimpico in the first round, with Alberto Aquilani scoring his only European goal to set Spalletti’s side on their way to a 5-1 win.
Simone Perrotta vs Brescia (May 2005)
Roma needed a morale booster after three consecutive defeats near the end of that turbulent 2004-05 campaign and a shot of relief came via Simone Perrotta’s opening-minute goal on matchday 34 against Brescia. Ultimately, Roma were pegged back to a 2-2 draw.
Marco Delvecchio vs Atalanta (January 2001)
There was one instance of Roma scoring in the first minute during the season of their third Scudetto. The man responsible was Marco Delvecchio, whose opening was followed up by Damiano Tommasi in Bergamo for a 2-0 win to mark a successful return from the winter break.
Vincenzo Montella vs Hellas Verona (January 2000)
After scoring inside two minutes against Bari on 6th January, 10 days later Vincenzo Montella outdid himself with a first-minute goal against Hellas Verona. On both occasions, it led to a 3-1 win for Fabio Capello’s side.
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