Brian Brobbey entered his name in the history books on Saturday (June 20) by scoring the fastest brace in FIFA World Cup history for the Netherlands and fourth fastest overall. The 24-year-old striker, who plays in the Premier League for Sunderland, was preferred over Memphis Depay for the No. 9 role by Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match against Sweden at NRG Stadium in Houston and he lived up to the billing.
Brobbey needed just five minutes to open the scoring for the European giants in their second match of this year’s football mega-event and then scored his second goal of the match in the 17th minute.
Having managed only one goal for the Netherlands prior to Saturday’s fixture, he became the fourth-fastest
player in FIFA World Cup history to score two goals in a match.
Fastest World Cup braces in history:
Podolski vs Sweden, 2006: 11:35
Ronaldo vs Costa Rica, 2002: 12:16
Lineker vs Poland, 1986: 13:46
🟠Brobbey vs Sweden, 2026: 16:12 pic.twitter.com/gFnLI28rWQ— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 20, 2026
The record for the fastest brace in FIFA World Cup history is held by former Germany footballer Lukas Podolski. Podolski needed just 11 minutes and 35 seconds to score twice for Germany against Sweden in the Round of 16 match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup at Allianz Arena in Munich on June 24, 2006.
Fastest braces in FIFA World Cup
| PLAYER | COUNTRY | MATCH TYPE | TIME TAKEN | AGAINST | VENUE | DATE |
| Lukas Podolski | Germany | Round of 16 | 11 minutes, 35 seconds | Sweden | Allianz Arena, Munich | June 24, 2006 |
| Ronaldo | Brazil | Group C match | 12 minutes, 16 seconds | Costa Rica | Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon | June 13, 2002 |
| Gary Lineker | England | Group F match | 13 minutes, 46 seconds | Poland | Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza | June 11, 1986 |
| Brian Brobbey | Netherlands | Group F match | 16 minutes, 12 seconds | Sweden | NRG Stadium, Houston | June 20, 2026 |
Podolski is followed by Brazil legend Ronaldo, who scored a brace inside 12 minutes and 16 seconds against Costa Rica in a Group C match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon on June 13, 2002.
England’s Gary Lineker is the third and final player to have scored a FIFA World Cup brace faster than Brobbey. In England’s Group C match against Poland at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, played at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza on June 11, Lineker scored his first two goals of the match within 13 minutes and 46 seconds.
Lineker went on to complete a hat-trick and helped the Three Lions secure a 3-0 victory over Poland.
