World-record recognition for Newport goalkeeper Tom King after long-range strike
The wind-assisted effort covered a distance of 96.01 metres to beat the previous record by over four metres.
Newport goalkeeper Tom King’s midweek goal against Cheltenham has been confirmed as the longest in football history.
King’s wind-assisted effort in Gloucestershire on Tuesday travelled 96.01 metres (105 yards), removing Asmir Begovic’s 2013 effort of 91.9m (100.5 yards) for Stoke from the record books.
The official Guinness World Records website confirmed the new mark, saying: “With his epic downfield kick, King officially broke the record for the longest goal scored in a competitive football (soccer) match, which covered an incredible distance of 96.01m (105 yds).
“Booting the ball from his own six-yard-box, it was picked up by the wind and soared into the net just out of opposition goalkeeper Joshua Griffiths’ reach.”
King, who was called into the Wales squad in 2019, said he would contact Bournemouth’s Bosnia-Herzegovina international Begovic to send him his commiserations over breaking the record.
“I’m obviously absolutely delighted because it’s not something that I intentionally set out to do,” King told the Newport website.
“I’m sure it will be talked about for a long time to come, so I’m proud and I’m sure my family will be extremely proud too.
“I’ll have to drop Asmir a message to send my commiserations, but, in all honesty, it’s different territory for me.
“It’s something I never dreamt of being in the books that you get for Christmas every year.
“Hopefully I might actually read it if I get one for Christmas this year.
“I’m delighted and hopefully no one beats it for a long time now so I can show my grandkids!”
Begovic had held the record since November 2013 when he scored in a Premier League game against Southampton after just 13 seconds.
King’s effort was caught in the breeze and bounced over Cheltenham counterpart Griffiths to open the scoring after 12 minutes.
But Cheltenham came back to draw the Sky Bet League Two game 1-1, with King admitting he was disappointed that his record-breaking goal had not proven the winner.
