Top 5 youngest scorers in the Champions League, see which Ghana player makes the list

Europe’s elite club competition, the UEFA Champions League, has seen some of the brightest talents and future stars shine under the floodlights across various clubs and countries on the continent.

These talents more often than not end up being word beaters as they mature and take the world by storm. Penning one’s name in the annals of the Champions League is no small feat.

It’s an elite list of players who started an early exploit of life in Europe, facing the continent’s very best and having their names in the scoresheet.

It is not surprising that the top 13 youngest scorers in the competition’s history all did so even before their 18th birthday. All 13 players were only 17 years old and some days when they found the back of the net in the Champions League. Here at Pulse Ghana, we profile the top five.

Here are the top 5 youngest scorers in the Champions League

1.Ansu Fati

Once touted as Lionel Messi’s heir, Ansu Fati lived up to the hype early in his first season playing for Barcelona. Fati holds the record for the youngest player to score in the Champions League. He opened his Champions League account at only 17 years and 40 days old against Inter Milan on December 10, 2019.

2.Lamine Yamal

Another Barcelona prodigy, Lamine Yamal takes the second spot scoring at only 17 years and 68 days old in Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Monaco in the second league phase game in the latest Champions League format this year.

3.George Ilenikhena

This time it was Barcelona on the receiving end when George Ilenikhena, 17 years 119 days, netted his first in the competition for Royal Antwerp in their 3-2 win over the Spanish giants. The Nigerian forward has since moved to Ligue 1 club Monaco.

4.Antonio Nusa

On September 13, 2022, Norway forward Antonio Nusa joined this elite list when he scored in Club Brugge’s 4-0 thrashing of Porto. He was only 17 years and 149 days old when he scored his very first Champions League goal.

5.Peter Ofori-Quaye

Former Ghana striker Peter Ofori-Quaye held the record for 22 years before Ansu Fati finally surpassed it by 154 days in 2019. Ofori-Quaye scored Olympiacos’ only goal in their 5-1 defeat to Rosenborg in 1997 when he was only 17 years and 194 days old.

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