Celtic's Maria McAneny handed world record after fastest ever goal in women's football
As Celtic Women fans made their way into the stands to cheer on their team on a cold December day, they had no idea they’d be 1-0 up just seconds into the game.
Maria McAneny (UK) left everyone stunned during the game against Hibernian Women in the Scottish Women's Premier League, on 21 December 2025 when she scored after a mere 4.10 seconds.
As the whistle blew, Maria kicked the ball from the centre circle, it soared right past other players, past Hibernian’s goalkeeper 50 yards away and straight to the back of the net, earning her the very impressive world record title for fastest women's football goal.
Maria’s ecstatic teammates ran to her side, jumping with joy and screaming in celebration.
You can see from the video clip just what a special moment it was.
Looking back on it, Maria said: "There was no practice or anything like that, it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. There was a Plan B, but I said to Saoirse [Noonan], I'm going to go for it and thankfully it went in.
“It's a great feeling, and it's definitely not an achievement I ever thought I'd have. It hasn't really set in, to be fair."
The icing on the cake was that Celtic went on to win the match 2-1.
While faster goals gave been scored before in lower-level and amateur matches, we only consider top-flight fixtures for this record.
GWR's Craig Glenday chats to Maria and the team
Read about more amazing sporting achievements in our dedicated Sports and Fitness section.
This week, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday made the trip to the team’s training ground in Barrowfield, Glasgow to present Maria with her official certificate.
He said: “It was a genuine honour to visit Celtic's new training ground to meet Maria and the team. Making a big noise about a record as fundamental as the fastest goal in top-flight women's football sends a signal to every young female player that the opportunities are there to make your mark.
“It's really important that women's game is given the same attention as the men's, so I'm pleased that we were able to celebrate Maria's inspiring achievement. Maria has been football-focussed from childhood, and has worked her way up through Celtic's academy to the first team, and now the national side.
“She is a local hero making her mark nationally - and now with this record, she's deservedly been catapulted to the global stage.”
Fans of Maria, affectionately nicknamed Maz, were confident her goal was a world record from the moment they saw it.
They had flooded the comments section of an Instagram video of the historical moment begging us to recognize her achievement, and we were only too happy to.
To make it even more special, her mum, dad, granny, and siblings were all there to see her presented with her certificate.