Which player scored the first golden goal in World Cup history?

Laurent Blanc scored the first golden goal in FIFA World Cup history, giving France a 1–0 extra-time victory over Paraguay in 1998.

The goal came in the 114th minute of the round-of-16 match at the Stade Félix-Bollaert in Lens. Blanc finished after a move involving France’s midfield and attack, and the goal ended the match immediately under the golden-goal rule. France advanced to the quarter-finals, where it defeated Italy in a penalty shootout.

The golden goal was a sudden-death system: once a team scored during extra time, the match ended. FIFA introduced it at the World Cup in 1998, although the rule had already appeared in other competitions. It was used again at the 2002 World Cup, when three more golden goals were scored.

Ahn Jung-hwan and David Trezeguet also scored World Cup golden goals in 2002 and at Euro 2000 respectively, but neither was first in the World Cup. Blanc’s strike remains the inaugural example in the men’s tournament.