Regardless of the ever-increasing bodily and tactical calls for of the trendy sport, footballers look like getting youthful.
Just some years in the past, it was uncommon for a 17-year-old to be that includes in top-level leagues or worldwide competitions. However now, gamers are breaking by at college age.
In simply the final couple of years, a 15-year-old has debuted within the Premier League, in La Liga and in Serie A. And a kind of younger skills lately performed a starring position in Spain’s European Championship win, showing within the ultimate at 17 years and a day previous – or ought to that be younger?
Right here, a take a look at among the gamers who’ve damaged youth data of their careers, together with many fashionable marks and others which have stood the take a look at of time…
32. Rigobert Tune
Rigobert Tune is consoled by Cameroon team-mate Louis-Paul M’Fédé after his pink card in opposition to Brazil on the 1994 World Cup. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Rigobert Tune set an undesirable report in 1994 as he turned the youngest participant in historical past to be despatched off in a World Cup match, when he noticed pink in opposition to Brazil at simply 17 years and 358 days previous.
The previous Liverpool defender went on to get pleasure from a powerful profession with Cameroon and was a part of the groups which received the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. Tune additionally turned the primary participant to be despatched off twice in World Cups as he noticed pink once more in a match in opposition to Chile in 1998.
31. Reuben Noble-Lazarus
Reuben Noble-Lazarus in motion for Rochdale in opposition to Shrewsbury City in April 2017. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Reuben Noble-Lazarus got here by the youth system at Barnsley and in September 2008, turned the youngest participant to debut within the English Soccer League.
The winger made his first look at simply 15 years and 45 days of age, breaking the earlier report of 15 years and 158 days set by Albert Geldard of Bradford Park Avenue in 1929 and equalled by Wrexham’s Ken Roberts in 1951.
30. Daniel Passarella
Argentina captain Daniel Passarella lifts the World Cup trophy in 1978. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Daniel Passarella was not that younger when he helped Argentina win the World Cup in 1978, however the legendary former centre-back stays the youngest captain to carry the trophy, at 25 years and 31 days previous.
Passarella is Argentina’s solely two-time World Cup winner, however misplaced the captaincy to Diego Maradona forward of Mexico 86 and didn’t play a single minute within the match because of a bout of enterocolitis.
29. Francesco Camarda
Francesco Camarda in motion for AC Milan on his Serie A debut in opposition to Fiorentina in November 2023. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Stated to have scored an unbelievable 485 objectives in 89 video games for AC Milan’s youth facet, Francesco Camarda made his debut for the primary staff amid an harm disaster, showing as a late substitute in a match in opposition to Fiorentina in November 2023.
Aged 15 years and 293 days, the striker turned the youngest participant within the historical past of Serie A and Milan needed to ask the Italian Soccer Federation for particular permission with a view to choose him in any respect.
28. Luka Romero
Luka Romero in motion for Almeria in opposition to former membership Mallorca in Could 2024. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Luka Romero turned the youngest participant in La Liga historical past and the youngest out of all of Europe’s prime 5 leagues when he made his debut for Mallorca in opposition to Actual Madrid in its place in June 2020 on the age of 15 years and 219 days.
Later, the Mexico-born Argentina youth worldwide turned Lazio’s youngest-ever participant at simply over 16 years and 9 months previous. The attacking midfield went on to affix AC Milan and returned to La Liga with a spell on mortgage at Almeria within the second half of the 2023/24 season.
27. Ethan Nwaneri
Ethan Nwaneri applauds the Arsenal followers after his debut in opposition to Brentford in September 2022. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Ethan Nwaneri got here off the bench for Arsenal in stoppage time in opposition to Brentford to turn out to be the youngest participant in Premier League historical past at 15 years and 181 days previous.
In his transient cameo, the midfielder broke the report beforehand held by Harvey Elliott and in addition the all-time mark for the English prime flight, which had stood since Sunderland goalkeeper Derek Forster made his debut on the age of 15 years and 185 days in 1964.
26. Rubén Neves
Ruben Neves in motion for Porto in opposition to Maccabi Tel Aviv within the Champions League in October 2015. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
An skilled Portuguese worldwide, Rubén Neves began his profession at Porto and went on to spend six seasons with Wolves between 2017 and 2023.
In a Champions League sport for Porto in opposition to Maccabi Tel Aviv in October 2015, Neves turned the youngest captain within the competitors’s historical past at 18 years and 221 days previous. Porto received the sport 2-0.
25. Lucas Knecht
Northern Mariana Islands participant Lucas Knecht (left) challenges Nepal’s Santosh Shahukhala in a match in March 2013. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Born in america, Lucas Knecht holds the report for the youngest footballer to play in an official worldwide match.
Knecht, a defender, made his debut with Northern Mariana Islands on the age of 14 and two days in 2007. The Pacific facet misplaced the match 9-0 to Guam.
24. Aung Kyaw Tun
Aung Kyaw Tun (left) celebrates a objective for Myanmar’s Below-23 staff in September 2001. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Aung Kyaw Tun made his full debut for Myanmar in opposition to Thailand on the age of simply 14 years and 93 days, making him the youngest worldwide footballer on report till his mark was damaged by Somalia’s Abdinur Mohamud in November 2011.
However the former midfielder stays the youngest worldwide scorer in males’s soccer, having netted in opposition to Thailand at 14 years and 328 days. He by no means scored for his nation once more in 13 caps general.
23. Phil Foden
Phil Foden poses with the Premier League trophy after Manchester Metropolis’s title win in Could 2021. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Phil Foden is included within the Guinness Ebook of Information because the youngest participant ever to win the Premier League.
The Manchester Metropolis attacker received his first title together with his boyhood membership in Could 2018 and on the age of 17 years and 350 days, he got here on in its place in opposition to Southampton on the ultimate day of the season to make his fifth look of the marketing campaign to earn a medal and set a brand new report as properly. Arsenal’s Gaël Clichy had been the earlier youngest at 18 years and 10 months in 2004.
22. Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham celebrates his objective for England in opposition to Serbia at Euro 2024. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Jude Bellingham turned the youngest participant to look at a European Championship when he featured for England in opposition to Croatia in its place at Euro 2020, on the age of simply 17 years and 349 days previous.
After showing on the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, he then turned the youngest to function in three main tournaments for the Three Lions, at 20 years and 353 days previous. Additionally a Champions League and La Liga winner with Actual Madrid on the age of simply 20, Bellingham might be the youngest footballer in historical past to have his shirt retired too, after first membership Birmingham Metropolis eliminated his no. 22 from use as a tribute in 2020. The midfielder made his debut for the Blues on the age of 16 and 38 days and was bought to Borussia Dortmund lower than a month after his seventeenth birthday.
21. Youssoufa Moukoko
Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko (left) in motion in opposition to Zenit St. Petersburg within the Champions League in December 2020. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
In December 2020, Youssoufa Moukoko got here off the bench for Borussia Dortmund in opposition to Zenit St. Petersburg to turn out to be the youngest participant in Champions League historical past at 16 years and 18 days of age.
Moukoko, who got here by the youth system at Dortmund and went on to play for Germany, broke a report beforehand held by former Chelsea and Nigeria defender Celestine Babayaro of 16 years and 87 days. And 10 days later, he additionally turned the Bundesliga’s youngest scorer, at 16 years 28 days, when he netted in opposition to Union Berlin.
20. Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku celebrates a objective for Anderlecht in opposition to Athletic Membership in February 2010. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
After making his debut in its place in Could 2009, Romelu Lukaku went on to turn out to be a key participant for Anderlecht within the 2009/10 season.
Lukaku scored 19 objectives in all, together with 4 within the Europa League because the Belgian facet reached the final 16. Two of these got here in a 3-1 win over Ajax in December 2009 on the age of 16 years and 218 days, making him the competitors’s youngest scorer.
19. Freddy Adu
Freddy Adu in motion for america in opposition to Spain within the Below-17 World Championships in August 2003. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Freddy Adu was chosen by D.C. United within the 2004 MLS Draft on the age of 14, turning into the youngest American ever to signal a serious league skilled contract in any staff sport.
However Adu didn’t stay as much as his big early potential in a profession which took him to Portugal, France, Greece, Turkey, Brazil and Serbia. He received solely 17 caps for america, scoring twice.
18. James Vaughan
James Vaughan celebrates after scoring for Everton in opposition to Crystal Palace as a 16-year-old in April 2005. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
James Vaughan got here off the bench to make his Everton debut in April 2005 and scored his facet’s fourth objective in a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.
With that objective, Vaughan turned the youngest scorer in Premier League historical past, at 16 years and 270 days previous, beating James Milner into second and former Everton favorite Wayne Rooney into third on the checklist.
17. João Félix
João Félix celebrates after scoring for Benfica in opposition to Eintracht Frankfurt in April 2019. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
João Félix was thought of probably the most proficient youngsters in world soccer when he emerged at Benfica and shortly impressed for the Lisbon membership.
In April 2019, Félix turned the youngest participant to attain a hat-trick within the Europa League as he netted a treble in a 4-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on the age of 19 years and 152 days previous. Nonetheless 19, he joined Atlético Madrid that summer season for a payment of €126 million (£113m), making him the most costly teenager in soccer historical past and on the time, the fourth most costly participant ever.
16. Arda Güler
Arda Güler celebrates after scoring for Turkey in opposition to Georgia at Euro 2024. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Arda Güler was one of many standout stars at Euro 2024 and the Actual Madrid teen shortly made his mark for Turkey in Germany.
Güler scored a shocking objective in Turkey’s opener in opposition to Georgia to turn out to be the fifth-youngest participant to transform in European Championship historical past and the youngest debut scorer ever within the competitors at 19 years and 114 days, breaking a report which had belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo since 2004.
15. Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu (left) in motion for Ajax in opposition to Borussia Dortmund within the Champions League in March 1996. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Nwankwo Kanu got here on as an alternative choice to Ajax in opposition to AC Milan within the 1995 Champions League ultimate and have become the competitors’s youngest winner as Louis van Gaal’s facet edged out the Rossoneri because of a late Patrick Kluivert objective.
Kanu was 18 years and 296 days previous on the time, precisely a month youthful than Kluivert. The Nigerian striker began within the 1996 ultimate as Ajax misplaced to Juventus on penalties.
14. Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé in motion for Monaco in opposition to Juventus within the Champions League in Could 2017. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Kylian Mbappé made his Monaco debut on the age of 16 years and 347 days, which made him the youngest first-team participant within the membership’s historical past.
Mbappé is the youngest participant to attain in a Champions League semi-final, having netted for Monaco in opposition to Juventus in 2017 at 18 years and 140 days. He’s additionally the youngest participant to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or, at 18 years and 293 days. Within the 2018 World Cup ultimate, he turned solely the second teenager to attain within the fixture, after Pelé in 1958. And in 2022, he turned solely the second participant within the historical past of males’s soccer to attain a hat-trick within the World Cup ultimate, after England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966.
13. Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Norway’s eleventh objective in opposition to Honduras in a 12-0 win, through which he scored 9, within the Below-20 World Cup in 2019. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Erling Haaland has been scoring at a ridiculous fee for his complete profession, however one efficiency particularly made the world sit up and take discover.
Haaland hit an unbelievable 9 objectives in a 12-0 win for Norway in opposition to Honduras on the Below-20 World Cup in 2019. And within the Champions League, he’s the youngest participant to attain 15 objectives, then 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40, reaching the latter mark on the age of simply 23 years and 130 days.
12. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring his second objective for Manchester United in opposition to Fenerbahce in September 2004. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Wayne Rooney turned the world’s most costly teenager when he moved from Everton to Manchester United in a £27 million deal in the summertime of 2004.
And the previous England ahead made an on the spot influence at Outdated Trafford, scoring an excellent hat-trick on his debut in opposition to Fenerbahce within the Champions League. On the age of 18 years and 339 days, he’s nonetheless one of many youngest gamers to attain a hat-trick within the competitors and stays the youngest to web a treble on his CL debut. Rooney can also be the youngest participant to begin a match (at 17 years and 160 days) and to attain for England (17 years and 317 days).
11. Norman Whiteside
Norman Whiteside in motion for Northern Eire in opposition to Yugoslavia on the 1982 World Cup. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Norman Whiteside was simply 17 years and 42 days previous when he made his first look for Northern Eire, beating a report which had belonged to Pelé since 1958.
Whiteside made his Manchester United debut as a 16-year-old and stays the youngest participant to attain in a League Cup ultimate (at 17 years and 323 days) and an FA Cup ultimate (at 18 years and 18 days), in addition to the youngest to attain a senior objective for the Crimson Devils (at 17 years and eight days).
10. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring for Argentina in opposition to Serbia and Montenegro on the 2006 World Cup. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Lionel Messi’s objective in opposition to Albacete in 2004/05 noticed him turn out to be the youngest scorer in La Liga historical past at 17 years and 311 days previous.
That mark has since been overwhelmed by plenty of gamers, with Barça’s Bojan Krkic, Gavi, Ansu Fati and Lamine Yamal amongst them, however Messi stays Argentina’s youngest scorer at a World Cup. Leo was 18 years and 358 days previous when he got here off the bench to web in opposition to Serbia and Montenegro in 2006. He’s additionally the youngest participant to win a number of Ballons d’Or, having picked up his second on the age of simply 23 in 2010.
9. Ronaldo
Ronaldo celebrates a objective for Brazil in opposition to Ghana on the 1996 Olympics. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Ronaldo was a part of Brazil’s World Cup-winning squad as a 17-year-old in 1994 and have become the second-youngest participant ever to win the trophy after compatriot Pelé, though he didn’t play a single minute at USA 94.
Three years later, Ronaldo turned the youngest participant to win the Ballon d’Or at 21 years and 96 days previous. The good Brazilian went on to assert the award once more in 2002.
8. Ansu Fati
Ansu Fati celebrates with Jean-Clair Todibo after scoring for Barcelona in opposition to Inter within the Champions League in December 2019. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Ansu Fati broke by at Barcelona within the 2019/20 season and the younger ahead turned the youngest scorer in Champions League historical past when he netted in opposition to Inter in a 2-1 win in Milan in December 2019.
Fati scored the winner 4 minutes from time as Barça made it 4 victories and two attracts to prime the group. He was simply 17 years and 40 days previous on the time. He was additionally Barcelona’s youngest scorer in La Liga, after netting in opposition to Osasuna at 16 years and 304 days previous, however that report has since been damaged by Lamine Yamal.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo in motion for Portugal in opposition to Greece at Euro 2004. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Cristiano Ronaldo has made a profession out of breaking data and the Portuguese celebrity turned the youngest debut scorer at a European Championship when he netted in Portugal’s opener in opposition to Greece at Euro 2004 on the age of 19 years and 128 days.
That report has since been overwhelmed by Turkey’s Arda Güler, however Ronaldo is Portugal’s youngest and oldest scorer at a World Cup, having netted on the age of 21 in 2006 and at 37 years previous in 2022. He’s additionally the very best worldwide scorer of all time.
6. Johnnier Montaño
Johnnier Montaño (left) in motion for Colombia in opposition to the Czech Republic in November 1999. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Johnnier Montaño solely scored one objective for Colombia, however the midfielder’s strike in opposition to Argentina in 1999 turned out to be massively important.
Montaño, who had spells in Italy, Argentina, Turkey and Peru in addition to his native Colombia, turned the youngest-ever scorer within the historical past of the Copa America at 16 years and 171 days. Colombia received the match 3-0 in a fixture which is greatest remembered for Argentina striker Martín Palermo’s three missed penalties.
5. Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Kluivert (centre) in motion for Ajax in opposition to AC Milan within the 1995 Champions League ultimate. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Patrick Kluivert got here on as an alternative choice to Ajax in opposition to AC Milan within the 1995 Champions League ultimate and scored the winner for the Dutch facet with 5 minutes left to play.
At 18 years and 327 days, Kluivert turned the youngest participant to attain in a Champions League ultimate and that mark nonetheless stands immediately. Kluivert went on to affix Milan that summer season.
4. Pietro Anastasi
Italy’s Pietro Anastasi in 1969. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Pietro Anastasi made his Italy debut in opposition to Yugoslavia within the ultimate of Euro 1968, enjoying the 90 minutes plus additional time as the 2 groups drew 1-1 in Milan.
In a replay two days later, Anastasi netted Italy’s second in a 2-0 win on the age of simply 20 years and 64 days. To this present day, he stays the youngest man to have scored in a European Championship ultimate.
3. Raúl
Raul in motion for Actual Madrid in November 1997. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Raúl González made his Actual Madrid debut on the age of simply 17 and the Spanish striker would go on to interrupt a collection of data with Los Blancos, turn out to be the membership’s all-time look holder (741 video games) and prime scorer (with 323 objectives).
He has since been overtaken on objectives by each Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, however his look report stays intact. Raúl was additionally Actual Madrid’s youngest-ever captain on the age of 26 and is the youngest participant from any membership to attain a hat-trick within the Champions League, having hit three in opposition to Ferencvaros on the age of 18 years and 114 days in October 1995.
2. Pelé
Brazil’s Pelé up in opposition to two Wales defenders on the 1958 World Cup. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Pelé began enjoying for Santos on the age of 15 and have become Brazil’s youngest-ever debutant and scorer in a 2-1 loss to Argentina in 1957 – at simply 16 years, 8 months and 14 days.
The next yr, the legendary ahead turned the World Cup’s youngest-ever scorer (at 17 years and 239 days) as he netted the winner in opposition to Wales within the quarter-finals. Days later, he turned the youngest to hit a hat-trick at a World Cup as he netted three in opposition to France. His objective in opposition to Sweden in Brazil’s final match made him the youngest to attain in a World Cup ultimate and on prime of that, he was additionally the match’s youngest winner (at 17 years and 249 days). All of these data nonetheless stand.
1. Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal celebrates with the European Championship trophy after Spain’s win at Euro 2024. (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Lamine Yamal turned the fifth youngest participant in La Liga historical past at 15 years and 285 days and Barcelona’s youngest in over a century when he made his debut for the Catalan membership in April 2023. In October that yr, his objective in opposition to Granada made him the youngest scorer in La Liga historical past at 16 years and 87 days previous. He’s additionally the youngest ever to web within the Copa del Rey, on the age of 16 years and 195 days, and in Spain’s Supercopa.
The winger was known as up by Spain in September 2023. He made his worldwide debut and in addition scored in a win over Georgia, turning into La Roja’s youngest participant and scorer on the age of 16 years and 57 days. At Euro 2024, he turned the match’s youngest-ever participant (aged 16 years and 338 days), the youngest scorer (at 16 years and 361 days) and in addition the Euros’ youngest winner (at 17 years and sooner or later).
