March, May and more: footballers scoring in months that match their names

“Birmingham’s August Priske scored the only goal at Swansea in the League Cup on 8 August. Can you think of any other examples of players scoring in their namesake months?” wonders Paul Tiffen.

Our wonderful readers have managed to cover the entire year, pretty much, so let’s get going. The list below includes just some of the many examples you sent in.

January

“Not all last names exist for English months, so I also took month names in some other languages,” writes Mykola Kozlenko. “I only accepted exact spellings, [so] I don’t accept Auguste or Augustin for the month of August, but Agosto is fine.” As is Janvier, which gave Mykola their first goalscorer: “Nicolas Janvier. Scored on 30 January 2016 for Lannion v Rennes Reserves.”

February

“Jayden Fevrier. Scored on 3 February 2024 for Colchester against Forest Green Rovers,” writes Mykola.

March

“In German, March is ‘März’,” writes Dirk Maas. “In the 1992-93 edition of the 2. Bundesliga, Heiko März scored twice in March, for Hansa Rostock against St. Pauli and Darmstadt.” Dirk also points out that Solly March’s portfolio of goals in March includes two for Brighton in FA Cup quarter-finals: against Millwall in 2019 and Grimsby in 2023.

April

“April Heinrichs scored twice for the USA on April Fools’ Day 1991 against Yugoslavia in the Grand Hotel Varna Tournament in Bulgaria,” writes Dan Almond. “She also scored on 3 April against Hungary and again in the final as the USA beat USSR 5-0.”

May

“David May scored the opening goal in Manchester United’s final game of the 1995-96 season,” writes Sinan Eccles. “The 3-0 win against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on 5 May 1996 secured the title for United. Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs scored the others. Eric Cantona got the late winner in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup final to secure United their second domestic double in three seasons.”

Matt Beaumont points out that Alfie May scored on 7 May 2023 for Cheltenham Town v Charlton – and then joined the Addicks two months later, leaving as Cheltenham’s record goalscorer.

June

Back to Mykola Kozlenko: “Brazil’s Edigar Junio scored on 22 June 2019 for Yokohama F Marinos against Matsumoto Yamaga in the J-League.”

July

Three goalscoring Julios in July were found by Mykola …

Anderson Julio (Ecuador), 13 July 2023, Real Salt Lake v Sporting KC

Jhojan Julio (Ecuador), 31 July 2019, LDU Quito v Olimpia

Junior Julio Bueno (Armenia), 20 July 2023, Ararat-Armenia v Egnatia

August

Michael St John-Mcalister offers August Lohapresert, the Sweden-born midfielder who won an under-23 cap for Thailand. Turns out the internet isn’t entirely bad, for it has provided details of Gais Under-19’s 2-1 victory over Kalmar FF Under-19s on 16 August 2012. Both Gais’s goals were scored by their substitute, the aforementioned Lohapresert.

September

Back to Mykola for the last few. “Mateusz Wrzesien (Poland). Scored on 26 September 2018 for Baltyk Koszalin v Rozwoj Katowice.” We should probably clarify that Wrzesien is September in Polish.

October

Pasquale Ottobre scored a brace on 25 October 2009 for Fidelis Andros against Virtus Lanciano in Italy’s Lega Pro. (Note: Pasquale is a name usually given to those born around Easter or Passover, although Ottobre was born in … November.)

November

Tymofiy Lystopad (Ukraine). Scored on 7 November 2015 in Desna Chernihiv v Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka. Lystopad is November in Ukrainian

December

This was the only month for which we didn’t receive a goalscoring answer, but Mykola Kozlenko did find a manager: Frantz Décembre, the Haitian who managed several clubs in the 2010s. We don’t have a specific game, but it’s probably a fair bet that at least one of his teams scored at least one goal in December.

Caught in no-man’s land

“In the recent Leagues Cup clash between Tigres and Vancouver Whitecaps, Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán received a straight red card for pushing the referee. The incident took place near the halfway line. What is the furthest upfield that a goalkeeper has received a straight red card?” asks Eoin Fegan.

Back in 2015, West Ham’s Adrián came forward for a corner late on against Leicester at Upton Park – but when the ball was cleared and the visitors threatened to break, the keeper caught Jamie Vardy with a high boot, and was shown a straight red card. Adrián insisted that the foul was accidental, tweeting: “Never in my career I have kicked nobody with bad intention to deserve a red card.” West Ham appealed the decision, but it was upheld and Adrián received a three-match ban.

Knowledge archive

In the Highland League match on 8 August between Forres Mechanics and Fraserburgh, Forres defender Ewan Neil was sent off for a foul just seven seconds after the match kicked off, and Fraserburgh awarded a penalty kick,” writes Sid Bright. “What is the quickest penalty ever awarded in a match?”

We previously looked at this topic in 2017, after a similar question from Stephen Yoxall. He saw his team, Witton Albion, win a penalty after six seconds in an FA Trophy tie against Chester FC when Tolani Omotola was fouled by Blaine Hudson.

Here’s what we wrote at the time: “Witton’s penalty was awarded after just 6.18 seconds. It was saved, but Bradley Bauress followed up his own spot-kick to score the rebound. Omotola was then sent off later in the first half, before Hudson – probably fortunate to avoid a dismissal with the initial penalty – picked up a second booking during the second period. Witton’s coach Paul Moore was later sent to the stands, before the visitors’ Matthew Devine gave away a late penalty, which earned him a red card, and Chester an equaliser. The nine men were beaten when Chester’s Elliott Durrell grabbed an injury-time winner.”

We found a number of other early examples, but nothing to beat 6.18 seconds – we even had a word with the people behind the Guinness Book of World Records. Forres Mechanics went close with their recent effort, but we have found a quicker penalty, awarded to Tanzania in a World Cup qualifier against Madagascar in September 2021.

As reported by the BBC, Tanzania launched it long from kick off, and Simon Msuva was brought down on the edge of the area by Madagascar keeper Melvin Adrien. The foul was committed after just four seconds, with the spot-kick given a second later. Erasto Nyoni stepped up to convert it, setting the hosts up for a 3-2 victory.

Are there any faster penalties we’ve missed? Get in touch …

Can you help?

“Marquinhos won his 40th trophy in club football when Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa in the Super Cup,” notes Paul Gage. “Has any player won more?”

“The last full-time England manager to have won the English top flight as a coach was Don Revie (1974-77). Does any country have a longer drought?” asks Albert from Vienna.

“Midnite are the 26-27 shirt sponsors for three Championship sides; Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Wolves,” notes Peter Skilton. “This means they will be the sponsors of at least one of the teams in 24% of Championship fixtures this season. “Is this a record, and which brand has sponsored the most different teams in a single league?”

“On 11 July 2010, Maarten Stekelenburg and Gregory van der Wiel played in the World Cup final against Spain,” begins Dirk Maas. “Seventeen days later came their next match, for Ajax against PAOK in the Champions League qualifiers. Have any other European players played their next competitive game so soon after a World Cup final?

“Arsenal Tivat have truly embodied the boring, boring Arsenal stereotype by starting the Montenegrin league season with three successive 0-0 draws. Has any side ever managed to start a season in a less entertaining manner than this?” asks Richard Wilson.

“When watching the new Mourinho documentary on Netflix, there was some footage of old Portuguese football – I think it was Vitória Setubal or Belenenses – and the goalmouth had a weird sand triangle within the six-yard box. The triangle started at each post and ended in the middle of the six-yard box. It looked like a baseball field. I’ve never seen this before. Was it commonplace in Portugal or anywhere else?” asks Chris Ward.

“Xavi Simons was named after Xavi Hernández, who will be his coach at international level after taking the Netherlands job,” notes Niall McVeigh. “Are there any other examples of footballers playing for coaches they are named after (but not related to)?”

“Has a club’s player-manager ever been called up for an international cap, or travelled to play during an international break in the club season?” asks Frederick Sondheimer-Acosta.

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