The Premier League opening day has become one of the best weekends in the football calendar, if not the best.
Large crowds recharged after a summer break, new recruits galore and almost everyone rounded off a football day with – you guessed it – more football in Match of the Day. And since there are few better emotions than the roar of an audience when a goal is bundled in, the first of the season is quite special.
90min has collected every opening goal of the season since the Premier League’s first campaign.
Deane at Old Trafford / Anton Want / Getty Images
Officially the first person to ever score a Premier League goal, it took Deane just five minutes to find the back of the net against Manchester United on opening day.
Played for Sheffield United at the time, he left for Leeds at the end of that season and eventually left in 2006 after two more stakes with the Blades.
Beagrie in his later years for Scunthorpe / Gary M. Prior / Getty Images
Considered one of England’s best winger in recent years in the old first division, Beagrie collected the opening goal in 1993/94 for Everton.
The Toffees won 2-0 at home on opening day, but finished just one point ahead of the relegated Saints on the 17th of that season. Fine margins.
Kevin Campbell from Arsenal / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
When Campbell did not have a record label with Mark Morrison, he scored the first goal of the season as an Arsenal academy product in 1994.
After getting through the youth team, the English striker put one past Manchester City after just two minutes in a final 3-0 victory at Highbury. His best spell came at Everton after signing in 1999, after a spell in Turkey.
Cutters in Blackburn colors / Gary M. Prior / Getty Images
No, this was not a strange, three-way, WWE-esque tag team goal. It would probably have been less strange, admittedly.
During the 1995/96 season, the honor of the opening goal was bizarrely shared between Shearer, Ekoku and Williamson, who all got into their respective matches after five minutes. Correct error in the matrix.
Stig Inge Bjornbye for the Reds / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Bjornebye was a complete nonsense fullback, scoring his first goal for Liverpool and the first goal of the 1996/97 season in a 3-3 draw against Middlesbrough.
A free kick saw the Norwegian in over the top after only three minutes and set the tone for a nice personal campaign that saw him make Team of the Year a key player in the Reds’ strongest title charge of the year.
Tino is a hero in Newcastle / Stu Forster / Getty Images
‘Tino’ Asprilla signed from probably Parma’s biggest side in February 1996 and became a hit after completing his move to Newcastle in the middle of a snowstorm.
He only came to life at the beginning of the 1997/98 campaign and opened the scoring after just two minutes against Sheffield Wednesday during an iconic season that also made him do a hat trick against Barcelona.
United watch as Heskey strikes / Stu Forster / Getty Images
A remarkable maze run by Muzzy Izzet ended in poaching by Heskey to silence Old Trafford after just seven minutes on opening day 1998.
An early lead doubled after 76 minutes, but United fought back in a branded way to get a late 2-2 draw against Leicester in a fine match.
Carl Cort in Action / Tony O’Brien / Getty Images
Four years at Wimbledon were about as good as it was for Cort, who started the season in 1999 against Watford after just ten minutes.
We say that, but Cort continued to play for Marbella and the Tampa Bay Rowdies later in his career. Infinitely more fun than any stupid Premier League goal target.
Venus Holds Up Game / Jamie McDonald / Getty Images
Ipswich were not only in the Premier League in the 2000s, they were the team that opened the scoring for the 2000 season.
Venus’ opener after nine minutes, however, was not enough for a win, as Tottenham gathered and won 3-1 on the day. Still, the result was forgotten when Ipswich finished fifth that season.
Bolton celebrates Nolan’s strike / Michael Steele / Getty Images
By breaking through on a Bolton side where only the sky seemed to be the limit in the 2000s, a young Nolan started the Premier League after 15 minutes in 2001.
Promoted to the Premier League ahead of the promotion, Nolan’s strike set them in motion for a flying 5-0 suspension by Leicester on opening day.
Bolton in their iconic Reebok kit / Michael Steele / Getty Images
The tricky Wanderers opened the scoring in front of someone else a season later as well and went for the back-to-back opening day goal.
A goal after four minutes from Ricketts did not get them off to a good start, however, as they were the ones who fought this time and lost 4-1 to Fulham.
Dunn Holds a Challenge / Ben Radford / Getty Images
It was a dream start for Dunn in 2003 and made its official debut for Birmingham after a glowing pre-season.
However, it took 36 minutes, which is pretty boring. More things from start to finish, please, Premier League.
Cisse’s injury was a bad one / Phil Cole / Getty Images
After moving to the Premier League after years of solid work with Auxerre, Cisse wasted no time in getting off the mark in 2004 against Tottenham.
A debut strike and the season’s opening goal showed promising signs for a now Michael Owen-less Liverpool. Cisse’s season, however, stopped shockingly in October when he suffered a serious nasty bone fracture.
A points start in Ruud’s last season / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
United got a flyer in 2005/06 in search of a first Premier League title since 2003, with Van Nistelrooy hitting the opener in a 2-0 win over Everton.
However, that was not enough, as Chelsea retained the title and Van Nistelrooy went to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
Hulse runs off to celebrate / Jamie McDonald / Getty Images
Good form had given Hulse a chance in the Premier League with promoted newcomer Sheffield United, and he was a natural from off.
The striker lost his debut against Liverpool, meandered away and went home from a free kick in a 1-1 draw. Hulse had a great personal campaign and ended up as Blade’s top scorer.
Dream Start / Alex Livesey / Getty Images
After breaking through and playing his first years at Newcastle, Chopra needed a big impact to get Sunderland fans on his side after his move to Stadium of Light in 2007.
How did he do that? By coming off the bench and lowering the season’s first goal in the 90th minute against Spurs, giving Sunderland an opening win that has just advanced to the Premier League.
Nasri was an instant hit / LEON NEAL / Getty Images
Back to the deal with some much faster goals, Nasri got Barclays off the mark after just four minutes in 2008.
Arsenal were suddenly obsessed with their new French number eight, which proved to be an instant hit in England with endless creativity and style in front of goal.
Hunt celebrates his goal / Hamish Blair / Getty Images
Another season, another debut goal. It was a dream start for Hunt at Hull after his summer move, with just 28 minutes into his debut at Chelsea.
Unfortunately, Hunt was remembered by Chelsea fans for being the one who collided with Petr Cech in 2006, which resulted in a skull fracture. The Blues won in injury time.
Kalinic has had a healthy career since / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Kalinic, who thrived under Sam Allardyce, got Blackburn to shoot at the start of the 2010/11 campaign after just 14 minutes and took number nine on their backs ahead of their second season with the club.
Since falling out with Steve Kean and leaving Blackburn, Kalinic has gone on to play for Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Fiorentina. Not bad.
Suarez could have had two a day / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
After signing for Liverpool in January 2011 and coming to terms with what was left of the 2010/11 campaign, Suarez wasted no time in 2011/12.
Uruguayan had his first goal of the campaign after 12 minutes, but could have ended with a stay if he had made an earlier penalty. The miss allowed Sunderland to take a point through Seb Larsson.
You feel the celebration … / Richard Heathcote / Getty Images
Seeing Michu and 2012/13 in the same sense is enough to send chills in the back.
The Spaniard signed for Swansea for just £ 2 million and scored the first goal of the season in a fantastic way, sweeping a pass for the first time into the top corner against QPR. The first in an iconic season with 22 goals.
Sturridge was on it / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Today’s first kick – off Liverpool wasted no time in doing business under Brendan Rodgers with a 1-0 win over Stoke.
When he picked up the ball several yards outside the box, a first-class Sturridge shot it low and into the corner to get the first of 25 goals in all competitions. A perfectly fitting Sturridge was a threat.
Swansea captured United / Alex Livesey / Getty Images
Ki got off to a calm start in 2014/15 and scored one of the first goals of the season when Swansea caused outrage at Old Trafford.
Ki chased the ball from the edge of the box before hitting the first time to beat David de Gea at a distance when Swansea finished 2-1.
Walker gathered in Rooney for OG / Matthew Ashton – AMA / Getty Images
A classic to get the 2015/16 season started, the only thing that separated United and Spurs was an own goal.
With Wayne Rooney about to finish a cross, Walker ran in from behind and momentum took its foot through the ball and past Hugo Lloris. Had to do a challenge.
Hull shocked the champions / Michael Regan / Getty Images
Perhaps the biggest Premier League opening goal of them all, Diomande announced that Hull returned to the top flight in an obscene way.
In the half-time battle, the Norwegian threw himself into the air and bagged an overhead kick to give Hull the lead over champions Leicester, before winning the match 2-1.
A £ 53m debut / Catherine Ivill – AMA / Getty Images
It was only two minutes before Lacazette looked like he was worth every penny and got an almost immediate debut goal to join Arsenal for a fee of £ 53 million that summer.
On the way beyond Kasper Schmeichel, the Frenchman finished with a respectable 17 goals in all competitions that season.
He finally did / Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
Leicester were on the receiver of the season’s first goal three times on the bounce. Of course at that time it is more than just happiness.
The injured third time was Pogba, fresh from the back when he became world champion. With the help of the frightening but still infinitely complex run-up, Pogba got out of the place when United won 2-1.
Liverpool were ruthless / Michael Regan / Getty Images
During perhaps the strangest football season ever, an own goal that started the campaign should have served as a warning sign.
Hanley was the unfortunate goal scorer for Norwich after just seven minutes when Liverpool ran into riots to set their title fee correctly with a 4-1 victory.
Easy as they come / Pool / Getty Images
The only player to make the list twice, Lacazette repeated exploits from his debut season when Arsenal humiliated newcomer Fulham.
He was suspended after just eight minutes, collected from close range after poor defense when the Gunners won 3-0.
Canos got back the first goal in front of the capacity strings / Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
The start that Brentford fans had been dreaming of ever since the promotion was confirmed, their first match back in the top flight was incredible.
Arsenal fell behind in the now typical Arsenal way, rocked by the cool home crowd and gave Cano space to shoot one inside Bernd Leno’s near post. A 2-0 win for Thomas Frank’s electric side.
