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Have any footballers ever scored with the first touch of their careers? | The Knowledge

Plus: European stadiums with low Google ratings, losing hat-tricks and the last time Spain had less than 50% possessionMail us with your all of your questions and answers“Jamie Spencer, 17, made his first first-team appearance in a competitive match, for…

Published: Wednesday, 30 September 2026 at 7:00 AM
Have any footballers ever scored with the first touch of their careers? | The Knowledge
Key Things to Know
  • Several footballers have scored with their first professional touch, including Alan Smith, Raphael Meade, and Luke Medley.
  • Jack Aitchison, Matt Hatch, Michael Ricketts, and Ibra Sekajja also achieved the rare debut goal-scoring feat.
  • Brian Brobbey became the sixth player to score a Premier League hat-trick and lose the match.
The Story in 60 Seconds

The Guardian's trivia column explores whether footballers have ever scored with the very first touch of their professional careers. Examples cited include Alan Smith scoring for Leeds United against Liverpool, Raphael Meade netting with a bicycle kick for Arsenal against Panathinaikos, and Luke Medley scoring a half-volley on his Bradford City debut. Additional examples include Ibra Sekajja for Crystal Palace, Jack Aitchison for Celtic, and Michael Ricketts for Walsall.

The feature also covers other football trivia, noting that Brian Brobbey became only the sixth player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick on the losing side. Furthermore, it examines poorly rated European stadiums on Google, alongside Spain's rare games without majority possession.

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