Who is the youngest player to score in the Champions League? Are Mateo Kovacic or Jude Bellingham among the youngest?
Updated 03/03/2025 at 14:49 GMT
The UEFA Champions League is back on our screens, and it is time for a new generation of young players to make their mark on European football's greatest stage. Wonderkids have given fans some incredible moments over the years, and this season will be no different, with the likes of Lamine Yamal, Endrick and more all set to be involved. Here are the youngest players to score in the competition.
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Prodigious young players have been introducing themselves to the world in the UEFA Champions League for decades.
We all know where we were when Gareth Bale dismantled Inter Milan and when Wayne Rooney introduced himself to the Old Trafford faithful with a delightful hat-trick against Fenerbahce.
A new generation of wonderkids are hoping to make a similar impact this season and score a goal on the grandest stage.
First, let's take a look back at the youngest players to make their mark by scoring in the Champions League.
Who is the youngest player to score in the Champions League?
Ansu Fati currently holds the title of the youngest player to score a goal in Champions League history, according to the UEFA website.
The winger stunned football fans everywhere in 2019, coming off the bench and scoring inside two minutes to hand Barcelona a 2-1 win over Inter.
He scored the historic goal at the tender age of 17 years and 40 days.
Another Barca youngster came close to snatching the record this season as Lamine Yamal bagged his first goal in the competition at just 17 years and 60 days in his side's shock 2-1 defeat at Monaco.
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By bizarre coincidence, Monaco's match-winner that night George Ilenikhena is also on the list in third for a previous goal against Barcelona while playing for Royal Antwerp in 2023.
The Nigerian was just 17 years 119 days when he made histroy for the Beligian side with a 93rd minute winner.
Norway international Antonio Nusa scored Club Brugge's fourth goal in an impressive 4-0 victory against Porto in 2022, aged just 17 years and 149 days.
Prior to Fati's moment of magic, Peter Ofori-Quaye held the record for over 22 years after scoring at 17 years and 194 days old in 1997.
The striker's record-breaking goal was the only silver lining on a disastrous night for Olympiacos as they lost 5-1 to Rosenborg.
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Mateo Kovacic is one of the most decorated players in Champions League history having won the competition four times.
He is also one of the competition's youngest-ever goalscorers after his strike in Dinamo Zagreb's 7-1 defeat against Lyon in 2011.
The midfielder scored that goal at just 17 years and 215 days old.
That left him ahead of Barcelona academy products Cesc Fabregas and Bojan Krkic, who both scored in the Champions League at the age of 17 years and 217 days.
Bojan's finish came in Barcelona's 1-0 win against Schalke in 2008, while Fabregas scored his goal for Arsenal against Rosenborg in 2004.
Martin Klein is ninth in the rankings, having scored for Sparta Praha in their 2-1 win against Panathinaikos in 2002 aged 17 years and 240 days.
Breel Embolo rounds off the top 10 after he scored for Basel in a 4-0 triumph over Ludogorets in 2014 while aged 17 years and 263 days.
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Top 10 youngest Champions League goalscorers
| Player | Match | Age |
| Ansu Fati | Inter 1-2 Barcelona, 10/12/19 | 17 years 40 days |
| Lamine Yamal | Monaco 2-1 Barcelona, 19/09/24 | 17 years 68 days |
| George Ilenikhena | Antwerp 3-2 Barcelona, 13/12/23 | 17 years 119 days |
| Antonio Nusa | Porto 0-4 Club Brugge, 13/09/22 | 17 years 149 days |
| Peter Ofori-Quaye | Rosenborg 5-1 Olympiacos, 01/10/97 | 17 years 194 days |
| Mateo Kovacic | Dinamo Zagreb 1-7 Lyon, 07/12/11 | 17 years 215 days |
| Cesc Fabregas | Arsenal 5-1 Rosenborg, 07/12/04 | 17 years 217 days |
| Bojan Krkic | Schalke 0-1 Barcelona, 01/04/08 | 17 years 217 days |
| Martin Klein | Panathinaikos 2-1 Sparta Praha, 27/02/02 | 17 years 240 days |
| Breel Embolo | Basel 4-0 Ludogorets, 04/11/14 | 17 years 263 days |
Just outside the top 10, Jude Bellingham gave the Champions League a taste of things to come when he scored for Borussia Dortmund against Manchester City.
Bellingham scored against a superb Pep Guardiola side at just 17 years and 289 days old.
However, he is not the only Brit on the list.
Aaron Ramsey makes it thanks to his goal in Arsenal's 5-2 victory against Fenerbahce in 2008.
The Welsh midfielder scored that goal at the age of 17 years and 300 days.
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