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Analysis
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The 10 youngest players in Champions League history
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 3 Oct 2025 09:42 CDT
- 4 min read
News
Youssoufa Moukoko is the youngest player to ever feature in the Champions League after making his debut at just 16 years and 18 days old.
UEFA rules mean that players are unable to play in the Champions League until their 16th birthday, and Borussia Dortmund waited less than three weeks before handing Moukoko his debut in the competition against Zenit St Petersburg in 2020.
Current ETV
Youssoufa Moukoko
F (C)
Kobenhavn
Youssoufa Moukoko
F (C)
Kobenhavn
ETV Range
€11.7M - €14.3M
The second-youngest Champions League player of all time is Lamine Yamal, who first appeared for Barcelona in the competition aged 16 years, 2 months and 6 days. He came on as a 68th minute substitute for Joao Felix during a 5-0 victory over Royal Antwerp in September 2023.
Celestine Babayoro is the third-youngest player to ever play in the Champions League after making his debut in the competition for Anderlecht against FCSB back in November 1994 aged 16 years, 2 months and 25 days.
The fourth-youngest Champions League player is Rayan Cherki. The Frenchman first played in Europe’s elite club competition at 16 years, 3 months and 10 days old when he replaced Maxwel Cornet during Lyon’s 2-0 loss to Zenit St Petersburg in November 2019.
In fifth place is forgotten wonderkid Alen Halilovic, who made his Champions League debut for Dinamo Zagreb aged 16 years, 4 months and 6 days in October 2012. The Croatian side lost 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain and Halilovic was sold to Barcelona less than two years later.
Youri Tielemans is the sixth-youngest player to feature in the Champions League after starting Anderlecht’s 3-0 defeat to Olympiakos in October 2013. He was 16 years, 4 months and 25 days old.
Francesco Camarda became the seventh-youngest Champions League player in history when he made his debut in the competition at the age of 16 years, 7 months and 12 days in October 2024. He replaced Alvaro Morata in the 7th minute of AC Milan’s 3-1 victory over Club Brugge.
Warren Zaire-Emery is eighth at 16 years, 7 months and 17 days old. He made his first Champions League appearance for PSG during a 7-2 demolition of Maccabi Haifa in October 2022.
Charalampos Mavrias is ninth, after making his Champions League debut for Panathinaikos aged 16 years, 7 months and 29 days in October 2010, while Kenneth Zohore completes the top 10. His first Champions League game was for Copenhagen against Barcelona at just 17 years, 8 months and 19 days old.
The 10 youngest players in Champions League history
| Player | Club | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Youssoufa Moukoko | Borussia Dortmund | 16y 18d |
| 2. Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | 16y 2m 6d |
| 3. Celestine Babayoro | Anderlecht | 16y 2m 25d |
| 4. Rayan Cherki | Lyon | 16y 3m 10d |
| 5. Alen Halilovic | Dinamo Zagreb | 16y 4m 6d |
| 6. Youri Tielemans | Anderlecht | 16y 4m 25d |
| 7. Francesco Camarda | AC Milan | 16y 7m 12d |
| 8. Warren Zaire-Emery | PSG | 16y 7m 17d |
| 9. Charalampos Mavrias | Panathinaikos | 16y 7m 29d |
| 10. Kenneth Zohore | Copenhagen | 16y 8m 19d |
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