Youri Tielemans Makes FIFA World Cup History with Last-Minute Penalty
Historic Moment for Belgium
Youri Tielemans has secured his place in FIFA World Cup history by scoring a penalty in the 125th minute during Belgium's Round of 32 match against Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1. This crucial goal ensured Belgium's advancement to the pre-quarterfinals, as they triumphed over Senegal with a score of 3-2 in a thrilling encounter. The Belgian captain earned the penalty after being fouled by Senegal's defender Camara, who lunged from behind to prevent him from shooting. Despite some controversy surrounding the decision, the referee ultimately reversed his initial call after a lengthy VAR review.
Youri Tielemans Sets a New Record
With this goal, Tielemans has set a new record for the latest goal scored in FIFA World Cup history. The previous record was held by Algeria's Djabou, who netted a consolation goal in the 121st minute against Germany in 2014. The last winning goal scored at such a late stage was by England's David Platt against Belgium in 1990.
| Player | Time | Team | Opponent | Stage | Final Result | Year |
| Youri Tielemans | 124:43 | Belgium | Senegal | Round of 32 | Belgium 3-2 Senegal | 2026 |
| Abdelmoumene Djabou | 120:49 | Algeria | Germany | Round of 16 | Algeria 1-2 Germany | 2014 |
| Alessandro Del Piero | 120:13 | Italy | Germany | Semifinal | Italy 2-0 Germany | 2006 |
| Geoff Hurst | 119:51 | England | West Germany | Final | England 4-2 West Germany | 1966 |
| David Platt | 119:23 | England | Belgium | Round of 16 | England 1-0 Belgium | 1990 |
This match also marked a historic achievement as it was the first time a team managed to come back from a 2-0 deficit at the 85th minute in a FIFA World Cup match. Belgium, who won the bronze medal in 2018, scored twice in quick succession, with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Tielemans in the 86th and 89th minutes, respectively. Senegal had initially taken the lead with goals from Habib Diarra in the 24th minute and Ismail Sarr in the 51st minute.