Footballers scoring with their first career touch highlighted in new discussion
The Guardian Sport • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 30, 2026, 7:00 AM
Last updated Sep 30, 2026

In a recent discussion, footballers who scored with their first professional touch were explored. Jamie Spencer made an impact for Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on September 9, scoring with his second touch after coming on as a substitute. Other notable players who have achieved a goal with their very first touch include Jack Aitchison for Celtic in 2016 and Maheta Molango for Brighton in 2004. This topic revisits players who make headlines with remarkable debut feats, showing the range of scoring achievements in football history.
- •Jamie Spencer scored for Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on September 9.
- •Jack Aitchison scored with his first touch for Celtic in 2016.
- •Maheta Molango scored on debut for Brighton against Reading in 2004.
- •Other players included are Michael Ricketts and Yan Dhanda.
- •Discussion revisits a similar topic covered in 2021.
- 7:00 AMThe Guardian Sport — 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% possession Mail us with your all of your questions and answers “Jamie Spencer, 17, made his first first-team appearance in a competitive match, for Huddersfield at Doncaster on 9 September in the prestigious EFL Trophy,” emails Richard Askham. “He came on as a substitute in the 66th minute and scored with his second touch of the ball, one to control it and the second to score. Has anyone scored with their very first touch, which is the only way to better young Spencer’s achievement?” We covered a variation of this question back in 2021, with answers on players scoring with their first touch on debut for their new clubs. This week, though, goes a step further, covering players that score with the first touches of their professional careers, although there are a few answers from that 2021 piece that work here, too: Jack Aitchison for Celtic in 2016, Matt Hatch for Central Coast Mariners in 2021, England one-cap wonder Michael Ricketts for Walsall against Brighton in 1996, Maheta Molango (now the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association) for Brighton against Reading in August 2004, and Yan Dhanda for Swansea City at Sheffield United in 2018. Continue reading...
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