The Champions League offers the world’s leading superstars the chance to make history, but age is not a prohibitive factor in European success.
Countless teenage phenoms have dazzled on Europe’s grandest stage over the years, earning renown for early excursions in the competition. Many have followed a Champions League night under the floodlights with a pop quiz at school the next day.
While not all of the competition’s youngest representatives have gone on to enjoy illustrious careers, they have still earned their place in the history books.
Here are the ten youngest players to feature in the Champions League since its rebranding in 1992.
10. Charis Mavrias
Age: 16 years, 241 days
Charis Mavrias is likely a player who slipped under your Premier League radar when he turned out for Sunderland four times during the 2013–14 season.
He’d earned that move after appearing 70 times for Panathinaikos, whose academy he’d graduated from in 2010. Mavrias’ talent saw him trusted with a Champions League appearance against Rubin Kazan in 2010, when he was 16 years and 241 days old.
9. Warren Zaïre-Emery
Age: 16 years, 231 days
Warren Zaïre-Emery is already regarded as one of the best central midfielders in the world and he’s still in the infancy of his career.
With that in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that Paris Saint-Germain, the Champions League winners in 2025, decided the Frenchman was ready for first team action on the continent at the age of just 16 years and 231 days.
The opponent on the day was Maccabi Haifa, the result you probably don’t need to be told.
8. Francesco Camarda
Age: 16 years, 226 days
Big things are expected of lanky Italy forward Francesco Camarda, who has scored goals for fun at international youth level.
Born and bred in Milan, Camarda had an interest in kickboxing before deciding bulging the back of the net was more his forte. He scored a brace on his UEFA Youth League debut against Newcastle United—becoming the youngest-ever Italian goalscorer in the tournament—and it didnt take long for AC Milan to decide he was worthy of promotion into first team reckoning.
Against Club Brugge, he was afforded a first appearance in the Champions League, climbing off the bench at the tender age of 16 years and 226 days.
7. Youri Tielemans
Age: 16 years, 148 days
Youri Tielemans established himself as a regular starter for Belgian giants Anderlecht when he was 16 years old, so the fact he made his Champions League debut at that age isn’t overly remarkable.
What is remarkable is that Tielemans was more often than not the best player on the park at that age, with his range of passing and dictating of tempo staggering those who watched him and also those who came up against him.
His career hasn’t hit the heights many thought it would, but featuring in Europe’s elite competition at 16 years and less than five months is something that can never be taken away from him.
6. Alen Halilovic
Age: 16 years, 128 days
Great things were once expected of Alen Halilović, especially after he appeared in the Champions League at just 16 years and 128 days old for Dinamo Zagreb.
Things didn’t quite pan out for the Croatian, however, who joined Barcelona but eventually faded into anonymity.
5. Rayan Cherki
Age: 16 years, 102 days
Rayan Cherki is now lighting up the Premier League after joining Manchester City in the summer of 2025, but his rise to stardom at Lyon kicked off when he was a fresh-faced teen.
The attacking midfielder was called upon by then manager Sylvinho when the Ligue 1 giants took on Zenit St Petersburg in 2020, featuring as a substitute in a 1–1 draw.
4. Celestine Babayaro
Age: 16 years, 86 days
Celestine Babayaro is best remembered for his spell with Premier League side Chelsea, at a time when they were looking to establish themselves as one of English football’s stronger sides.
He was phased out at Stamford Bridge just before José Mourinho brought title success to west London, but he did once upon a time hold the record for being the youngest player to compete in the Champions League.
In 1994, at just 16 years and 86 days old, Babayaro appeared for Anderlecht against FCSB.
3. Lamine Yamal
Age: 16 years, 68 days
Lamine Yamal boasts countless world records, but he has to settle for third place in the list of youngest ever Champions League participants. The Barcelona winger, who is the second youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history, made his European debut against Royal Antwerp in 2023.
2. Youssoufa Moukoko
Age: 16 years, 18 days
Unfortunately for Youssoufa Moukoko, the record he had held since 2020—when he made his debut for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit St Petersburg—no longer stands.
Once tipped for superstardom when rising through the ranks with Dortmund, Moukoko has not made the progress that was expected of him. He joined Copenhagen looking to rediscover some form and a platform to build on his potential, but the chances of becoming one of the world’s best look to have passed him by.
1. Max Dowman
The Youngest Players in Champions League History
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Youngest Players in Champions League History.
