After netting the winner on his debut for Liverpool against Newcastle in August 2025, Rio Ngumoha joined a select number of teenagers to etch their names into the record books as the youngest goalscorers in Premier League history.
Scoring in the EPL is an amazing feat for any footballer, let alone a youngster.
The English Premier League was established in 1992, following the decision of clubs from the First Division (the top tier since 1888) to break away from the English Football League. Since then, it has become the most followed soccer league in the world.
The EPL has been graced by some of the greatest players ever. Some started very early at the highest level due to their immense potentials.
Few teenagers announced themselves to the world by being among the youngest goalscorers in the top flight.
While some of these youngsters went on to enjoy glorious careers, others struggled for consistency and crumbled under the weight of expectations.
In this article, FootballOrbit presents you with the youngest goalscorers in Premier league history.
1. JAMES VAUGHAN (EVERTON vs Crystal Palace on 10 April 2005) – 16 years, 270 days old
A 16-year-old James Vaughan became the youngest Premier League scorer in April 2005, when he scored the fourth goal in Everton’s 4-0 win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.
He came on as a substitute and scored in the 87th minute on his Premier League debut.
Moreover, in the Everton team that day was a certain Mikel Arteta.
Vaughan went on to play just 47 matches for Everton in the Premier League and scored only 7 goals.
2. JAMES MILNER (LEEDS UNITED vs Sunderland on 26 December 2002) – 16 years, 356 days old
On Boxing Day in 2002, at 16 years and 356 days, James Milner became the youngest player to score in the Premier League, with a goal for Leeds United in a 2-1 win against Sunderland.
The record stood for just three years before he was pushed down to second position on the Premier League all-time youngest goalscorers list by Vaughan.
Astonishingly, 23 years after his first Premier League goal, Milner became the second-oldest goalscorer in the league’s history after scoring in Brighton’s win over Manchester City on the 31st of August 2025.
With 640 appearances and counting, James Milner has become one of the most consistent Premier League players in history, with only Gareth Barry (653) having made more appearances in the competition.
3. WAYNE ROONEY (EVERTON vs Arsenal on 19 October 2002) – 16 years, 360 days old
On the 19th of October 2002, five days before his 17th birthday, Wayne Rooney scored a last-minute winning goal against high-flying Arsenal. The goal ended the Gunners’ 30-match unbeaten run, and was their first defeat in 24 Premier League away games.
Two years later, Rooney moved to Manchester United for £25.6 million, where he would go on to achieve legendary status — winning 16 trophies with the Red Devils.
Furthermore, he scored 253 goals for United in all competitions, making him the club’s top goalscorer of all time.
Likewise, his 183 Premier League goals for United is the third-most scored by a player in that competition for any single club — behind only Harry Kane (213 goals for Tottenham Hotspur) and Sergio Agüero (184 goals for Manchester City).
Also, Rooney’s 208 Premier League goals make him the competition’s third-highest scorer of all time, while he also holds the fourth-highest number of assists with 103.
Wayne Rooney is considered one of the best players of his generation and one of the 10 greatest Manchester United players of all time.
4. RIO NGUMOHA (LIVERPOOL vs Newcastle United on 25 August 2025) – 16 years, 361 days old
Rio Ngumoha scored a sensational 100th-minute winner on his Premier League debut for Liverpool in their thrilling 3-2 win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park in August 2025.
Making his debut just four days shy of his 17th birthday, Ngumoha netted with his first touch in the competition — becoming the Reds’ youngest ever competitive goalscorer.
Moreso, he broke Michael Owen’s record (17 y 143d) as Liverpool’s youngest ever debutant scorer in the top flight.
Also, Ngumoha’s goal surpassed Darwin Núñez’s winning goal against Nottingham Forest in March 2024 by a minute to become the club’s LATEST game-winning goal in the Premier League.
5. CESC FABREGAS (ARSENAL vs Blackburn Rovers on 25 August 2004) – 17 years, 113 days old
Although the 5th-youngest player to score a Premier League goal, Cesc Fabregas is the youngest non-English player to net in the competition.
His first goal came for Arsenal against Blackburn in August 2004 in the 2004/05 Premier League campaign.
The Spaniard later established himself in the first team, and went on to become one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
Equally, Fabregas enjoyed lots of success at both club and international level.
6. MICHAEL OWEN (LIVERPOOL vs Wimbledon on 6 May 1997) – 17 years, 143 days old
Liverpool’s “Boy Wonder”, Michael Owen – aged 17 years and 143 days – scored on his Premier League debut against Wimbledon with a penalty.
Till date, he remains the only player under 18 years old to take a Premier League penalty, let alone score one.
Besides, Owen is the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League. He scored three goals against Sheffield Wednesday in February 1998 at the age of 18 years and 62 days.
Also, he holds the record as the only teenager to score four goals in a single Premier League match. He was 18 years and 314 days old when he scored four goals in a win over Nottingham Forest in October 1998.
In 2001, Michael Owen won the Ballon d’Or after helping Liverpool win a cup treble of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.
7. ANDY TURNER (TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs Everton on 5 September 1992) – 17 years 166 days old
On the 5th of September 1992, Andy Turner set a then-Premier League record as the newly founded division’s youngest-ever goalscorer — when he scored against Everton at the age of 17 years and 166 days.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t consolidate on that bright beginning as he only made 20 more appearances for Spurs before moving to Portsmouth.
8. FEDERICO MACHEDA (MANCHESTER UNITED vs Aston Villa on 5 April 2009) – 17 years, 226 days old
Macheda!!!!!
In a tight match against Aston Villa in April 2009, Manchester United were 2-1 down heading into the final third of the game.
Hoping for a turnaround, manager Alex Ferguson brought on a 17-year-old Italian named Federico Macheda to replace Nani.
After Cristiano Ronaldo equalised for United in the 80th minute, Macheda famously won the match with a turn to evade his marker followed by a curling effort from just inside the penalty area in the 93rd minute!!!
Thereafter, the youngster was unable to force his way into the first team and spent the next couple of years out on loan – at Sampdoria, QPR, Stuttgart, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham City.
Having failed to break into the Manchester United first team, Macheda was released at the end of his contract in June 2014.
9. LEWIS MILEY (NEWCASTLE UNITED vs Fulham on 16 December 2023) – 17 years, 229 days old
Lewis Miley made his Premier League debut in May 2023 as a 76th minute substitute against Chelsea, becoming Newcastle United’s youngest ever Premier League player.
On the 7th of November, he made his Champions League debut, coming off the bench in the 81st minute, in a 2-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund — becoming the youngest Newcastle United player to feature in an European competition.
Furthermore, on the 25th of November, Miley played 90 minutes; getting his first Premier League goal contribution by assisting Alexander Isak’s opening goal in a 4-1 win against Chelsea at St James’ Park.
Thus, at the age of 17 years and 208 days, he became the youngest ever Newcastle United player to assist a Premier League goal.
Three days later, he started his first Champions League match, which ended in a 1-1 away draw against PSG — becoming the third youngest Englishman to start in that competition after Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.
In December, during the final Champions League group stage matchday against Milan, Miley made history by becoming the youngest player in Champions League history to provide an assist for an English club at the age of 17 years and 226 days.
Three days later, he scored his first goal for Newcastle in a 3-0 win over Fulham, in which he became the youngest player to score in the Premier League since Federico Macheda in 2009.
Moreso, he became the youngest ever player to score for Newcastle in the EPL.
10. ETHAN NWANERI (ARSENAL vs Nottingham Forest on 23 November 2024) – 17 years, 247 days old
The youngest player in Premier League history and the first to play at 15, Ethan Nwaneri was younger than Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium when he made his debut in 2022.
In November 2024, the then-17-year-old made more history when he came off the bench in the 82nd minute to net the third goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Thus, Nwaneri entered the top 10 for the youngest players to score in the Premier League.
Moreover, he is the second-youngest to do so in Arsenal’s colours, after Cesc Fabregas.
Other Youngsters That Make Up The Top 20
- DANIEL JEBBISON (SHEFFIELD UNITED vs Everton on 16 May 2021) – 17 years, 309 days old.
- RAHEEM STERLING (LIVERPOOL vs Reading on 20 October 2012) – 17 years, 317 days old.
- MIKAEL FORSSELL (CHELSEA vs Nottingham Forest on 20 February 1999) – 17 years, 342 days old.
- DANNY CADAMARTERI (EVERTON vs Barnsley on 20 September 1997) – 17 years, 343 days old.
- DANNY WELBECK (MANCHESTER UNITED vs Stoke on 15 November 2008) – 17 years, 355 days old.
- MICHAEL BALL (EVERTON vs Arsenal on 27 September 1997) – 17 years, 360 days old.
- MARK CULLEN (HULL CITY vs Wigan Athletic on 3 May 2010) – 18 years, 12 days old.
- LEE CATTERMOLE (MIDDLESBROUGH vs Manchester City on 2 April 2006) – 18 years, 12 days old.
- VICTOR ANICHEBE (EVERTON vs West Bromwich Albion on 7 May 2006) – 18 years, 14 days old.
- ALAN SMITH (LEEDS UNITED vs Liverpool on 14 November 1998) – 18 years, 17 days old.
