George Horan is not QUITE the Europa League’s eldest goalscorer

All hail the European record-breaker George Horan. Picture: NCM MEDIA/NIK MESNEY

Connah’s Quay Nomads captain George Horan is a Uefa Champions League record-breaker – but he is yet to achieve the same feat in the Europa League.

When the veteran centre-half netted for Nomads against FC Alashkert on July 7, 2021, he became the oldest-ever Champions League goal scorer at the age of 39 years 139 days, leaving previous record-holder, Italian legend Francesco Totti of AS Roma, in the shade.

Totti was aged 38 years and 59 days when he set the record in 2014.

Horan was also on target for Nomads on Thursday in their 4-2 win over Prishtina in the Europa Conference League – a tie which saw the Cymru Premier champions so cruelly beaten 6-5 on aggregate.

Being 39 years and 161 days when he scored this goal, many might have though the Nomads skipper also became the eldest net-finder in the Europa League – however, this is not the case.

Daniel Berg Hestad was 40 years, 98 days when he netted in Molde’s 2-1 victory at Celtic in a Group A Europa League match on November 5, 2015.

Daniel Berg Hestad in action during the Norwegian Tippeligaen match between Valerenga Fotball and Molde FK held on June 29, 2011 at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway. (Photo by Audun Braastad/EuroFootball/Getty Images)

Central midfielder Hestad earned eight full caps for Norway and is the record appearance-maker for Molde, the four-time Norwegian champions twice formerly managed by current Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Today is actually Hestad’s 46th birthday – many happy returns Daniel.

Now second in the list, Horan is still ahead of some pretty illustrious company in the Europa League goal age stakes, including Miroslav Klose (37 years, 261 days), Edin Dzeko (37 years, 50 days) and Eduardo (37 years, 49 days).

And who is to say George might not break Hestad’s record next year!