In this article, we will learn about the top 10 youngest goalscorers in UEFA Europa League history.
Even though the Champions League takes precedence over the Europa League, the latter is become more difficult to win and frequently provides young players with a platform to excel on in Europe.
Youth prospects get an opportunity to make an impression because managers are typically eager to rotate. However, after the league’s 2009 rebranding, who are the youngest scorers in the Europa League?
Arda Guler
At the age of seventeen years, eight months, and nine days, Real Madrid sensation Guler—one of the most intriguing young players in the world—scored his first goal in the Europa League in November of last year while playing for Fenerbahce.
In a 2-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv, Guler opened the score for the Turkish team with a superb left-footed volley from the edge of the box. He also helped Willian Arao score Fenerbahce’s second goal.
Arnaud Souqet
Chicago Fire right-back Souqet is the ninth-youngest player to have scored in the Europa League.
At 17 years, 7 months, and 19 days old, Souqet scored Lille’s fourth goal with a straightforward header in a 5-1 victory over Slavia Prague.
At the time, Lille’s roster included several excellent players like Gervinho, Eden Hazard, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Dimitris Raspas
When AEK Larnaca lost 4-2 to Bayer Leverkusen, center-forward Raspas, who is 17 years, 6 months, and 2 days old, scored his first and only goal in the Europa League for the Cypriot team.
With MEAP Nisou, Raspas now plays football in the Cypriot second division.
Florian Wirtz
One of the top young attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga, Florian Wirtz, has a far better recognizable name and has been connected to Manchester City.
At the age of just 17 years, 5 months, and 19 days, the German international scored his first goal in the Europa League for Bayer Leverkusen in a 6-2 victory over Nice.
It appears as though we are seeing the birth of a star right before our eyes. It won’t be long till he switches Tuesdays and Wednesdays for Thursdays.
Ante Coric
At the age of 17 years, 5 months, and 4 days, attacking midfielder Coric scored his first goal in the Europa League for Dinamo Zagreb in a 5-1 victory over Romanian team Astra Giurgiu. He added the fifth goal in the last moments of the match after coming off the bench.
Coric was once connected to several Premier League clubs and predicted to become a superstar. He signed with Roma in 2021, however as of June, his contract expired, leaving him a free agent.
Yusuf Demir
Demir scored the game-winning goal in Rapid Wien’s 4-3 victory over Scottish team Dundalk in 2020 during a back-and-forth match that was ideal for him.
At just 17 years, 5 months, and 3 days old, he played on loan at Barcelona for a season in 2021–2022, but was unable to secure a permanent contract. Currently, he is 20 years old and on loan at Basel from Galatasaray.
Adam Maher
Maher’s goal against BATE Borisov on his professional debut at the age of 17 years, 4 months, and 25 days was the ideal manner for him to make his public debut.
Maher never really made the most of his profile as a young baller, even though fame would soon follow in the form of a senior Netherlands cap in 2012 and a move to PSV in 2013. He became a professional trader with Damac in Saudi Arabia after turning thirty earlier this year.
Desire Doue
At the age of just 17 years, 4 months, and 3 days, Doue made a lasting impression by winning Rennes’ match with a calm take in the group stages after snatching the ball away from Dynamo Kyiv in the 89th minute of play.
Iker Muniain
After making his La Liga debut for Athletic Club, Muniain has been playing well in Europe. He scored in a 3-0 victory over Austria Wien, sandwiched between a brace from Fernando Llorente.
His age was 16 years, eight months, and 29 days. Sixteen. And he’s still playing for the same club at the age of 30, a La Liga mainstay with only one significant club honour: the Spanish Supercup. Loyalty.
Romelu Lukaku
The fact that Lukaku and Muniain are still ranked first and second on this list, 14 years after they first scored goals as teenagers, is evidence of the absurdity of the feats they accomplished.
Lukaku, who is 16 years, 7 months, and 4 days old, opened the scoring in Anderlecht’s run to the Europa League round of 16, building on his amazing home form, which saw him score 15 goals as they won the Belgian league championship. To surpass him, an extraordinary talent is required.
