From Rooney to Fabregas, a look at the EPL’s youngest-ever goalscorers
Liverpool teen Ngumoha’s last-gasp heroics against Newcastle this week puts him in some exalted company
[SINGAPORE] All week long, Liverpool fans have been raving about an English teenager named Rio Ngumoha, after he wrote himself into the club’s history books by becoming their youngest-ever goalscorer.
Just four days before his 17th birthday on Friday, the winger was thrust into the global spotlight as he made his English Premier League (EPL) debut against Newcastle United at a raucous St James’ Park stadium.
Ten minutes into injury time, with both teams still tied at 2-2, the dreadlocked Ngumoha scored with a first-time right-foot shot inside the box to seal a dramatic victory for the defending EPL champions.
Not only did that goal made him the EPL’s fourth-youngest scorer of all time, but he also overtook Liverpool’s Ben Woodburn who had scored against Leeds United in November 2016 when he was 17 years and 45 days old.
Ngumoha was born on Aug 29, 2008 in London to Nigerian parents. He joined Chelsea’s academy when he was only eight years old and moved to Liverpool last year. He made his professional debut for the Reds in the third round of the FA Cup in January this year against Accrington Stanley.
BT Weekend takes a trip down memory lane to look at the feats of the other four players on the EPL’s list of five youngest goalscorers.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm
Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
James Vaughan (Everton)
Hardly anyone outside Everton had even heard of Vaughan when he came off the bench to make his debut against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Apr 10, 2005.
Aged 16 years and 270 days at the time, the striker needed just 13 minutes to get his name on the scoresheet as he slotted the ball home from Kevin Kilbane’s pinpoint cross. That goal three minutes from full-time was the icing on a 4-0 scoreline.
Vaughan never managed to get an extended run in the first team as he was constantly out through injury. He had made a grand total of 47 EPL appearances in seven seasons when he departed the club in 2011.
SEE ALSO
Now 37 years old and retired, Vaughan’s career saw him play for the England Under-21 team, as well as clubs like Norwich City, Sunderland and Huddersfield Town. He hung up his playing boots in 2021 after a stint at Tranmere Rovers.
James Milner (Leeds United)
Milner was 16 years and 356 days old – three days younger than Wayne Rooney – when he scored in Leeds’ 2-1 win over Sunderland on Boxing Day in 2002, lashing home the equaliser a few minutes after the interval from Jason Wilcox’s cross.
To date, Milner is still the youngest player to score in a competitive match for Leeds.
Now 39 and with Brighton and Hove Albion, Milner has enjoyed a rather successful career over the last two decades. He played 61 times for England is the player with the second-most number of EPL appearances (behind only Gareth Barry) after playing for Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Wayne Rooney (Everton)
Two months after making his Everton debut at the start of the 2002/03 season, Rooney announced his arrival as a global megastar when he scored the only goal in a match against Arsenal at Goodison Park.
That spectacular 25-yard strike in the 89th minute rocketed past England goalkeeper David Seaman, and it also meant that the Gunners saw their 30-match unbeaten streak come to an end. Rooney was 16 years and 360 days old that day.
Rooney caught the attention of the world’s top teams, and it was Manchester United that eventually signed the forward in 2004. At Old Trafford, he enjoyed a fabulous 13-season spell, during which he scooped up multiple trophies. He remains the club’s greatest-ever scorer with 253 goals.
Rooney rejoined Everton and also played for DC United in the US and Derby County. He also made 120 appearances for England. Now 39, he retired from the sport in 2021.
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Fabregas is fifth on the youngest scorers list but he remains the youngest overseas player to score in the EPL. That was achieved when he netted the second goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Aug 25, 2004.
The Spaniard was awarded the goal after Gilberto Silva’s header from a Thierry Henry corner bounced off his knee before rolling over the line. He was 17 years and 113 days old that day.
Fabregas, who is 38 years old now, was part of the Arsenal “Invincibles” squad that went a record 49 league games unbeaten from May 2003 to October 2004. He spent eight years at the North London club until 2011, and he went on to play for Barcelona, Chelsea, Monaco and Como, where he is currently their manager.
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
