The 10 youngest goalscorers in Premier League history

Cameron Smith

• 3 Oct 2025 04:01 CDT
• 4 min read

Analysis

James Vaughan is the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history after scoring for Everton at 16 years, 8 months and 27 days old back in April 2005.

The Englishman, who enjoyed a journeyman career before retiring in 2021, scored the fourth goal in a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace on his Premier League debut and his record has stood for over 20 years.

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James Milner

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Brighton

James Milner

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Brighton

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Vaughan overtook James Milner to become the youngest Premier League goalscorer, with the record previously held by the midfielder. Milner netted for Leeds United during a 2-1 win against Sunderland on Boxing Day in 2002 at the age of 16 years, 11 months and 22 days.

He narrowly beat Wayne Rooney’s record in the process. Rooney scored a famous injury-time winner against Arsenal in October 2002 to end the Gunners’ 30-match unbeaten run and he is now the third-youngest goalscorer in Premier League history.

The latest player to enter this list is Rio Ngumoha, who scored a 100th minute winner for Liverpool against Newcastle United on his Premier League debut in August 2025. The former Chelsea academy starlet replaced Cody Gakpo in the dying embers of the match and he secured a crucial win for the Reds at 16 years, 11 months and 27 days old.

The fifth-youngest goalscorer in Premier League history is Cesc Fabregas. The Spain legend scored his first goal in the competition for Arsenal in a 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers back in August 2004. He was 17 years, 3 months and 21 days old at the time, and Fabregas eventually ended his Premier League career with 50 goals and 111 assists in 350 games.

In sixth place is Michael Owen, who scored on his Premier League debut for Liverpool during a 2-1 defeat to Wimbledon in May 1997. The future Ballon d’Or winner was just 17 years, 4 months and 22 days old when he netted a 74th minute strike for Roy Evans’ side.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Andy Turner was 17 years, 6 months and 7 days old when he scored his first Premier League goal, versus Everton in 1992, and he became the competition’s youngest ever goalscorer at the time. He is now the seventh-youngest.

The eighth-youngest Premier League goalscorer of all time is Federico Macheda. The Italian striker was just 17 years, 7 months and 14 days old when he scored a memorable 93rd minute winner on debut for Manchester United against Aston Villa in 2009.

Lewis Miley is next on the list after scoring his first English top flight goal for Newcastle United against Fulham in December 2023 aged 17 years, 7 months and 15 days.

The top 10 is completed by the youngest Premier League player ever - Ethan Nwaneri. The Englishman scored his first league goal for Arsenal during a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in November 2024. He was 17 years, 8 months and 2 days old at the time.

The 10 youngest goalscorers in Premier League history

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