New Delhi: After waiting patiently for his moment, Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga finally stepped onto the pitch, ready to prove his worth. Monga became the second-youngest player in Premier League history when he made his debut aged just 15 years and 271 days.
The Foxes were already 3-0 down against Newcastle United when he got his first taste of action, entering the pitch in the 74th minute as a substitute. Due to his age, Monga wore a shirt that did not feature the logo of the team’s main sponsor, a betting company.
Young footballers often face intense pressure to live up to expectations, yet every season, fans eagerly identify promising talents from their club’s academy, speculating on their potential. Monga’s remarkable debut puts him in rarefied company. Let’s delve into the Premier League’s history books to explore the stories of the youngest players ever to grace the pitch and spotlight other exciting talents who have recently emerged on the scene.
At 15 years and 271 days, @LCFC debutant Jeremy Monga becomes the Premier League’s second-youngest player 🦊 pic.twitter.com/v3Y2dW8EbE
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 7, 2025
5. Izzy Brown – 16 years, 117 days
Izzy Brown made his debut aged 16 in May 2013 when his side, West Bromwich Albion, lost 3-2 against Wigan. This was his only appearance for the Baggies before he moved to Chelsea just a month later. He made only one appearance for the Blues in eight years but did make 13 Premier League appearances for Brighton during a loan spell in the 2017-18 season. Brown made more appearances in the Dutch top flight, but in April 2023, he was forced to announce his retirement from professional football due to recurrent injury problems.
4. Matthew Briggs – 16 years, 68 days
Matthew Briggs entered the pitch during Fulham’s 3-1 Premier League away defeat to Middlesbrough on the final day of the 2006-07 season. Briggs held the record for the youngest player to make an appearance in the competition for 12 years until Elliott’s appearance in May 2019. The Fulham defender had to wait three long years for his first Premier League start, with his next appearance in the competition coming in Fulham’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He went on to play 13 times in the Premier League across five different seasons for the Cottagers but spent much of his time loaned out by the club.
3. Harvey Elliott – 16 years, 30 days
Harvey Elliott made his debut as an 88th-minute substitute during Fulham’s 1-0 away defeat to Wolves at Molineux Stadium in May 2019, becoming, at the time, the youngest player to make a Premier League appearance. Now one of the most promising young talents in the Premier League, Elliott was just 16 years and 30 days old when Fulham manager Scott Parker handed him his debut for the already-relegated side. Just three months later, he signed for Liverpool and made his debut for the Reds in their 2-0 win over Sheffield United in 2020.
2. Jeremy Monga – 15 years, 271 days
Aside from Jeremy Monga’s moment to shine, it was a night to forget for Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes were trailing 2-0 by the 12th minute and were 3-0 down before half-time. The loss marked Leicester City’s eighth successive defeat on home soil. The only moment that brought some joy for the home fans was the introduction of the 15-year-old academy talent, Jeremy Monga, stepping onto the pitch in the 74th minute to make his debut for the Foxes. Monga got just 10 touches in his short spell on the field as the Foxes suffered another loss.
1. Ethan Nwaneri – 15 years, 181 days
Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history in September 2022 when he debuted as a substitute in the final minutes of Arsenal’s 3-0 away win against Brentford. He became not just the youngest player in Premier League history but also the youngest to play for Arsenal in any competition. Manager Mikel Arteta showed confidence in the then 15-year-old midfielder after some spectacular performances in the under-18 squad. Nwaneri’s appearance came just weeks after Christopher Atherton broke the record for the youngest senior footballer in the United Kingdom.
Discover the youngest players in Premier League history who made history and rose through the ranks early, including Jeremy Monga who made his debut for Leicester City on Monday against Newcastle United. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
