When an England player first dons the iconic white strip to start their international career, there isn’t a more proud moment. Some, however, can score their first goal in Three Lions colours in as little as one game, and four players can claim to have scored on their debut.
Reaching your first international goal might be a game-changer for your career because it signals your intention to lead the English going ahead. A number of legendary forwards, like Wayne Rooney, the second-all-time best goalscorer, scored goals as teenagers before becoming prolific.
The youngest goal scorers in the history of the England national team
Rank
The player
Age
Date
Complement
Rivalry
1.
Rooney, Wayne
13 days, 10 months, and 17 years old
September 6, 2003
England 1-2 Macedonia
Qualifiers in Europe
2.
Michael Owen
18 years, 13 days, and 5 months
May 27, 1998
England 0-1 Morocco
Friendships
3.
Lewis-Skelly, Myles
23 days, 18 years, and 5 months
March 21, 2025
Albania 2-0 England
Qualifications for the World Cup
4.
Rashford, Marcus
26 days, 18 years, 6 months, and 6 months
May 27, 2016
Australia 2-1 England
Friendships
5.
Lawton, Tommy
Nineteen years and sixteen days
October 22, 1938
England 4-2 Wales
Friendships
6.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alex
One month, twenty-seven days, and 19 years
October 12, 2012
San Marino 5-0 England
Qualifications for the World Cup
7.
Richards, Micah
15 days, 19 years, and 2 months
September 8, 2007
Israel 3-0 England
Qualifiers in Europe
8.
Greaves, Jimmy
Two months, twenty-seven days, and 19 years
May 17, 1959
England 4-1 Peru
Friendships
9.
Bellingham, Jude
23 days, 19 years, and 4 months
November 21, 2022
Iran 6-2 England
2022 World Cup
10.
Baker, Joe
Nineteen years, five months, and one day
November 18, 1959
Northern Ireland 2-1 England
Friendships
10.
Baker, Joe
19 years, 5 months, and 1 day of age
Given that he was reared in Scotland by a Scottish mother, Joe Baker has one of the most fascinating backstories of his international career. However, prior stringent regulations required him to represent his natal country. He became the first player to represent England outside of the English Football League when he made his debut against Northern Ireland in November 1959.
Joe Baker remarked, “I was the first Scottish League player to play for England, and it was a hard thing to take because I was a Scot, as far as I was concerned,” in reference to his national loyalty.
In no time at all, the former Hibernian forward scored his first goal by driving into the area and putting the ball past Northern Irish keeper Harry Gregg. Baker scored his first goal for England in just 16 minutes, and he later helped Ray Parry score the game-winning goal in the 90th minute.
Baker eventually joined the English Football League, playing for Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Arsenal as his international career developed. The striker, who was born in Liverpool, concluded his international career with eight caps, three goals, and an equal number of assists.
9 Jude Bellingham
Nineteen years, four months, and twenty-three days
Jude Bellingham made just four U21 games before making his Three Lions debut in November 2020 after being accelerated into the England senior squad. Gareth Southgate was forced to start him in the 2022 FIFA World Cup because he was having a fantastic season at Borussia Dortmund.
In Qatar, a teenage Bellingham displayed maturity beyond his years with memorable performances. However, he also made an impression by scoring his first goal for his country in a 6-2 thumping of Iran. He did this by heading home the first goal following a beautiful cross from Luke Shaw.
For the wonderkid from Stourbridge, this objective was crucial since it showcased his exceptional body and made the world take notice. In order to attract the best English talent to the Santiago Bernabeu, where he has already won the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid called the very following summer, beating out Manchester City and Liverpool.
8 Jimmy Greaves
Nineteen years, two months, and twenty-seven days
One of the greatest center-forwards to ever play for England, Jimmy Greaves scored 44 goals in 57 caps, which was the most goals per game of any of the top five scorers in the history of the country. From his debut appearance for the Three Lions, it was evident how important the Tottenham Hotspur legend would be. He currently ranks fifth on the all-time top scoring list.
Shortly after turning 19, Greaves, still establishing himself at the club level, was selected by England to go on a tour of the American continents. His debut came in May 1959, when he scored a consolation goal in a disheartening 4-1 friendly loss to Peru.
He was able to avoid widespread criticism of Walter Winterbottom’s team after losses to Mexico, Brazil, and Peru because to a few of outstanding performances. He played in the 1962 World Cup and, after three games in England’s 1966 victory, won a World Cup winners’ medal four years later.
7Micah Richards
Age: 19 years, 2 months and 15 days
Micah Richards made his debut as a promising young full-back, and at the age of 18, his speed and physicality earned him a spot in the England senior squad. Nearly a year after making his debut, the former Manchester City right-back scored his first goal in a 3-0 victory over Israel. He was a dependable member of Steve McClaren’s team.
Richards skilfully headed in the Three Lions’ third goal of the day for a victory at Wembley after Gareth Barry sent an inviting corner into the area. It was reminiscent of his well-known injury-time header, his first club goal, that he managed for City against Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
Before ending his career in July 2019, the former Villa defender earned 13 caps for England total. Representing Team Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympic Games was arguably the high point of his international career.
6. Oxlade-Chamberlain Alex
19 years, 1 month, and 27 days of age
When Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his debut in May 2012 at the age of 18, it was anticipated that he would establish himself as a mainstay in England’s squad. The talented midfielder was perfect for international competitions because of his versatility. But his international career was marred by terrible injury problems.
In a 2014 World Cup qualifying match, the former Liverpool player scored in a 5-0 victory against San Marino, and he still ranks among the top 10 youngest goal scorers in his country’s history. He put in a strong effort and guided the ball into the top corner to score the first of his seven goals in 35 caps, making him the fourth goal scorer for the Three Lions.
Until he had a late-career comeback, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 2019 international participation appears to have been his last England match. He played in all three group matches before being benched in a quarterfinal loss to Italy, and he was a part of Roy Hodgson’s team that was eliminated from the 2012 Euros.
5. Tommy Lawton
19 years and 16 days of age
Tommy Lawton was a powerful attacker who consistently shown his aerial prowess and clinical finishing when playing for England. With 22 goals in 23 caps, he is undoubtedly among the top strikers in England, as Stanley Matthews once said.
After barely turning 19, the former Chelsea and Arsenal forward made his debut for his country in a 4-2 friendly defeat to Wales. However, he tied the score with a hard-hitting penalty kick and would play for the nation for ten years, scoring four goals in an 8-2 thumping of the Netherlands and a 10-0 thumping of Portugal, among other noteworthy occasions.
England shared the British Home Championship championship in 1939 and won two titles in 1947 and 1948 thanks in large part to Lawton. Before problems with then-manager Walter Winterbottom caused him to slip out of contention internationally at the age of 28, World War II halted his career, but he continued to excel for club and country.
4.
Rashford, Marcus
Age: 18 years, 26 days, and 6 months
When Marcus Rashford joined the England senior squad in 2016, it was thought that he would succeed Wayne Rooney at Manchester United. He was one of the Premier League’s most promising players, and he made history with the Three Lions after making history with United.
After just two and a half minutes, the Red Devils starlet, who had started on the left in a friendly match against Australia, made sure he was the talk of the town. After the ball fell to him just inside the box, he scored a spectacular volley, and his career’s ideal start continued as he rose to prominence at Old Trafford.
Every significant international competition, from Euro 2016 until the 2022 World Cup, featured Rashford. His lacklustre performances for United put a stop to his career and kept him from being called up for Euro 2024. A dynamic attacker with 17 goals and six assists in 60 caps was left out by Gareth Southgate.
3. Lewis-Skelly, Myles
Age: 18 years, 23 days, and 5 months
Myles Lewis-Skelly opened the scoring in a 2-0 victory over Albania in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match, making him the third-youngest striker in England’s history. The ideal way to declare oneself a Three Lions star was for the Arsenal kid to make his international debut and become the first goalscorer of the Thomas Tuchel era.
The London-born left-back had established himself in the Gunners’ main lineup after progressing through their prestigious Hale End academy. In a season marred by ongoing injury issues on both the attack and defence, he has been a tremendous addition to Mikel Arteta. He is without a doubt one of the most talented players in the nation, and his goal demonstrated the courageous attitude he has shown at the Emirates.
When Gareth Southgate tried to finally bring football home, he struggled to deal with Luke Shaw’s fitness difficulties. Lewis-Skelly appears to be in a good position to take over the left-back position for years to come, and he may start for Tuchel at the 2026 World Cup.
2. Michael Owen
Age: 18 years, 13 days, and 5 months
In 2001, Michael Owen became one of just four English players to win the Ballon d’Or. When he made his debut in February 1998 at the age of 18, the Liverpool hero had the world at his feet and England supporters dreamed of winning a trophy. He scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 friendly victory over Morocco in May, marking his debut goal.
The striker, who was born in Chester, was discovered with a ball over the top and purposefully drove forward before slotting it away. His first goal, which broke in transition before clinically finding the net, was one of 40 goals he scored for the Three Lions.
Due to a number of injury issues, including an early hamstring tear, Owen’s international career faltered halfway through. Although he is undoubtedly one of the most gifted frontmen in England’s history, he faded after leaving Liverpool because he was unable to overcome his ongoing fitness issues.
1 Wayne Rooney
Age: seventeen years, ten months, and fifteen days
The Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney liked nothing more than creating history, and he is the only England international to score before turning eighteen. On home ground, Macedonia took an unexpected lead, but Rooney responded when Emile Heskey’s deft cutback found him on the box’s edge and he hammered the ball into the net for the first time.
Before ending his career with 53 goals in 120 appearances, the legendary former Everton striker would become the Three Lions’ all-time highest scorer in September 2015. Rooney made his mark during an international stint that saw him return to a more significant part in his latter years, but his record remained intact until 2023 when Harry Kane scored his 54th goal.
One of the top English players who has never taken first place in a significant international tournament is Rooney. In discussions about the greatest forwards in history, he occasionally has a fact used against him. However, at the age of 18, he stole the show at Euro 2004 by scoring four goals in four games, showcasing his immense talent. Since he was a proven winner, his all-around supremacy would have probably had a significant impact on the current crop’s recent runners-up finishes in the previous two European Championships.
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