Last-minute goal

The term "last-minute goal" is used in sport, primarily association football (known as soccer in some countries), to describe a goal scored very late in a game. It may not necessarily refer to a goal scored in the actual final minute of regulation time. In association football, the definition of a "last-minute goal" commonly used is one scored either in the final or penultimate minute of regulation time, or during the brief time added by the referee at the end of regulation time at the conclusion of a match, known as stoppage time or injury time. This brief referee-added time should not be confused with the extra 30 minutes, consisting of two 15-minute periods, added at the end of regulation time known as overtime or extra time for a match that is tied and must be decided.

Last-minute goals are often noteworthy if it allows the scoring team to either take the lead in a game that had been tied so far, or to equalise a game that they had been losing so far (for example, in the UEFA Euro 2012 Final, which Spain won 4–0, the last goal happened in the 88th minute, but it was largely irrelevant to the final outcome of the match). Also, the last-minute goals are vital if teams that score either continue its momentum and advance further through a tournament or perhaps even eliminate a team from the tournament.

The "golden goal" briefly used to decide extra time in some tournaments is not considered a last-minute goal unless meeting the above criteria. Penalties scored in a shootout are never considered last-minute goals.

This list of last-minute goals includes notable goals from higher levels of national or international football among major tournaments and qualifying matches.

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