Ranked: The Premier League’s youngest goalscorers after Rio Ngumoha heroics for Liverpool
Rio Ngumoha grabbed the headlines on Monday night with a dramatic last-minute winner for Liverpool against Newcastle United.
The Reds had surrendered a 2-0 lead to the 10-man Magpies in the Alexander Isak grudge match, but were offered salvation as Ngumoha struck in the 110th minute at just 16 years, 11 months and 27 days old.
The goal thrusts Ngumoha right among the Premier League‘s youngest-ever goalscorers, but he’s not at the top of the list.
Who is? Read on for the top 10.
10 – Lewis Miley
- Scored against: Fulham
- Age: 17 years, 7 months, 15 days
It’s been almost two years since Lewis Miley truly announced himself on the scene, netting the opening goal in a 3-0 win over Fulham for Newcastle United.
The midfielder has only scored twice since then, and only once in the Premier League, but at 19 years old, he remains a major talent for the Magpies, who they’ll hope can start making a more significant breakthrough soon.
9 – Federico Macheda
- Scored against: Aston Villa
- Age: 17 years, 7 months, 14 days
Federico Macheda’s 93rd-minute strike to give Man United a 3-2 win over Aston Villa in 2009 needs no introduction.
The Italian’s career never quite panned out how everyone expected, and at 34, he now plays in Greece for Asteras Aktor. However, that moment will always live in Man United and Premier League folklore.
8 – Michael Ball
- Scored against: Leicester City
- Age: 17 years, 6 months, 7 days
The late 1990s were a miserable period for Everton, full of relegation worries and financial strife. But it’s in that period that a number of gems came through their academy, including Michael Ball.
The left-back had a keen eye for goal and eventually ended up as the club’s penalty-taker, and it all started when he opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw against Leicester at Goodison Park in April 1997. Ball would go on to play for the likes of Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Manchester City.
7 – Andy Turner
- Scored against: Everton
- Age: 17 years, 5 months, 13 days
You’re about to see that Everton are responsible for multiple names on this list, but here, they were on the receiving end of a teenage tyro.
Andy Turner bagged a late winner as Spurs came from a goal down to beat the Toffees 2-1 at White Hart Lane back in April 1992. That proved to be one of just four goals the Irish winger scored for Tottenham, before embarking on a career in the lower leagues.
6 – Michael Owen
- Scored against: Wimbledon
- Age: 17 years, 4 months, 32 days
The first truly stellar name on this list, Michael Owen’s first Premier League goal actually came in a defeat as Liverpool went down 2-1 at Wimbledon.
Of couse, from Ballon d’Ors to playing for Real Madrid and Man United — not to mention his record for England — Owen went on to achieve quite a bit during an illustrious career, which was only held back due to relentless hamstring injuries. He was just a little bit too quick.
5 – Cesc Fabregas
- Scored against: Blackburn Rovers
- Age: 17 years, 3 months, 21 days
Nobody could have known just how good Cesc Fabregas would become when he scored the second in a 3-0 win over Blackburn for Arsenal in 2004.
But the now-Como manager did it all. La Liga titles with Barcelona, the FA Cup with Arsenal, the Premier League with Chelsea. And, of course, three major trophies during Spain’s golden period.
A true legend was born here, even if he did end up unpopular with Arsenal supporters.
4 – Rio Ngumoha
- Scored against: Newcastle United
- Age: 16 years, 11 months, 27 days
Ngumoha’s strike at St. James’ Park makes him just the fourth player to open his Premier League account before his 17th birthday. How many more could he get?
3 – Wayne Rooney
- Scored against: Arsenal
- Age: 16 years, 11 months, 25 days
“Remember the name, Wayne Rooney,” was Clive Tyldesley’s call as Wayne Rooney showed absolutely zero respect for peak Arsene Wenger Arsenal at Goodison Park back in 2002. And boy, did we remember!
Rooney went on to become Manchester United’s record goalscorer, was England’s record goalscorer for a time, and returned to Everton to become their top scorer in the 2017/18 season.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Manchester United | 559 | 253 | 142 |
| Everton | 117 | 28 | 8 |
| DC United | 52 | 25 | 14 |
| Derby County | 35 | 7 | 3 |
| England | 120 | 53 | 21 |
He won pretty much everything the club game has to offer and is undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time.
Has there been a more iconic first Premier League goal than Rooney’s against Arsenal?
2 – James Milner
- Scored against: Sunderland
- Age: 16 years, 11 months, 22 days
Just two months after Rooney set the record, James Milner broke it, opening his Premier League account three days younger than his future England teammate.
23 years have passed since Milner scored Leeds’ first in a 2-1 comeback win away at Sunderland, and yet, he’s still going strong, coming off the bench against Fulham on the opening day to become the first player to appear in 23 different Premier League seasons.
1 – James Vaughan
- Scored against: Crystal Palace
- Age: 16 years, 8 months and 27 days
At 3-0 up against Crystal Palace in April 2005, Everton felt on top of the world as they marched toward an unlikely Champions League berth, having finished 17th the season before and sold Rooney before the start of the campaign.
And then James Vaughan came off the bench to make it 4-0 at 16 years, eight months and 27 days old — sending Goodison Park into raptures as he broke the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer record.
Vaughan was a supremely talented finisher, but saw his career cruelly held back by injuries.
After some solid stints in the lower league, Vaughan was back at Everton until this summer as the club’s head of academy recruitment and player pathways.