Gavi became the youngest scorer in Spain's World Cup history with his strike against Costa Rica, but where does he sit in the all-time rankings?
Tournament upon tournament, the World Cup is always crying out for football's next young starlet to steal the show like a prime Shawn Michaels and wow the global audience with their abilities.
And the ones who can crack the hardest nut – scoring a goal – are often the ones remembered most fondly.
When a youngster announces themselves on the world stage in such a fashion, they most often live or die by such a famous goal. But whatever happens, it's a moment they'll never forget and one we'll always be able to look back on as fans, hooked on the sheer nostalgia.
It begs the question; who actually are the youngest scorers in World Cup history? GOAL has got you covered…
Getty8Julian Green (USA) – 2014
Age: 19 years, 25 days
Scored against: Belgium
Green's goal in Brazil made him the youngest American to score in World Cup history and came against a team who many tipped as the tournament favourites. Before that, though, he had represented Germany at youth level.
Germany would win the lot in Brazil, but Green could well have not been there at all had he pledged his allegiance to Die Mannschaft. Swings and roundabouts. Green last played for the USMNT in 2018.
AdvertisementGetty7Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 2006
Age: 18 years, 357 days
Scored against: Serbia and Montenegro
Putting the finishing touches on a 6-0 rout of Serbia and Montenegro, Messi announced himself at his first World Cup with a goal from the substitute's bench.
Considering his senior international debut saw him sent off from the bench, this was a much more promising effort. He's done alright since then.
Getty6Dmitry Sychev (Russia) – 2002
Age: 18 years, 231 days
Scored against: Belgium
It couldn't stop Russia from crashing out of the group stage in Japan and South Korea, but Sychev's goal against Belgium cannot be taken away from him.
He was once dubbed the 'Russian Michael Owen' – for his pace, not his incredible and prolific beginnings in the game.
5Nicolae Kovacs (Romania) – 1930
Age: 18 years, 197 days
Scored against: Peru
Kovacs turned out for Romania at the following 1934 and 1938 tournaments, but this would be the only goal he scored at a World Cup.
If you're only going to bag once in three tournaments, at least make it a memorable one, right?