Top 10 Youngest Premier League Goal Scorers of All Time
The Premier League has seen some brilliant young talent over the years and whilst some have taken a while to acclimatise, others have hit the ground running and set the league alight.
Today we’re taking a look at some of those players, as we count down the top 10 youngest Premier League goal scorers and how they’ve fared since entering the record books.
10) Raheem Sterling– 17 years 10 months 12 days
Sterling’s reputation precedes him now with multiple Premier League wins and a successful international career with England but back in 2012 he was only just being handed his Liverpool debut. Raheem was given his first league start in August of 2012 before bagging his first goal in October in a 1-0 win against Reading.
It may feel as if Sterling has been around forever but at only 26, the Man City man has plenty of seasons left yet.
9) Daniel Jebbison– 17 years 10 months 5 days
The most recent addition to this top 10, Canadian born Jebbison secured his place on this list in May of this year. The 18 year old scored only a few minutes into his Sheffield United debut in a 1-0 win over Everton.
After signing his first professional contract in late May he joined Burton Albion on loan for this season.
8) Federico Macheda– 17 years 7 months 14 days
Not only did Macheda get a debut goal but he also got a piece of iconic Martin Tyler commentary to go with it. The Italian was substituted on with 30 minutes to go trailing Aston Villa 2-1 and after Cristiano Ronaldo equalised, Macheda scored a 93rd minute winner to keep Man United ahead in the title race.
His career never quite reached the heights that some had expected and after multiple loan spells Macheda left United for Cardiff. He now plays for Panathinaikos where he’s approaching 100 appearances.
7) Michael Ball– 17 years 6 months 7 days
Ball started in the Liverpool academy playing alongside Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen but after moving across Stanley Park, he made his debut for Everton as a substitute against Tottenham. He scored his first goal in a 1-1 draw with Leicester in April 1997 and got his only England cap under Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2001.
Ball went on to have a solid career playing for Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Manchester City.
6) Andy Turner- 17 years 5 months 13 days
Turner came through the ranks at Tottenham and was given his debut during Terry Venables’ reign at the North London club. On the 5th September 1992, he set a record at the time as the youngest scorer in a 2-1 win over Everton before scoring twice more for Spurs.
He moved to Portsmouth in 1996 but a serious ankle injury hampered the rest of his career and he bounced around numerous clubs before retiring at Chasetown in non-league football.
5) Michael Owen– 17 years 4 months 22 days
Another illustrious name to be on this list, Owen came through the ranks at Liverpool and made his debut under Roy Evans in May 1997 in a 2-1 loss to Wimbledon. Owen scored the only goal that day and replaced Robbie Fowler as the main striker next season.
After a hugely successful spell at Liverpool he moved to Madrid where injuries started to derail his career. Owen though, is still the last English player to win the Ballon d’Or and will be fondly remembered on Merseyside for his hand in the treble of 2001.
4) Cesc Fabregas– 17 years 3 months 21 days
An Arsenal fan favourite, Fabregas left the famed La Masia academy for North London in 2003 sensing an opportunity to play sooner. He wasn’t wrong and in August of 2004 he scored his first goal in a 3-0 win over Blackburn becoming Arsenal’s youngest ever goal scorer.
The Spaniard went from strength to strength for the Gunners and eventually returned to his boyhood club Barcelona winning a huge haul of trophies.
3) Wayne Rooney– 16 years 11 months 25 days
England’s all time top goal scorer was a teenage sensation and a very well publicised one at that. Rooney was touted to be a star from his time in Everton’s academy and didn’t disappoint when David Moyes moved him up to the first team.
He made his senior debut in August 2002 in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham and then on the 19th October scored his iconic first goal in a 2-1 win against Arsenal to end the Gunners 30 game unbeaten run. He completed a move to Old Trafford in 2004 and went on to become Man United’s all time top goal scorer.
A true England and United legend.
2) James Milner– 16 years 11 months 22 days
A Yorkshire boy born and bred, Milner came through the ranks at his hometown club Leeds making his debut at just 16 years and 309 days against West Ham. On the 26th December, he got his first goal in a 2-1 win over Sunderland becoming the youngest Premier League scorer at the time.
Since then Milner has one a couple of Premier League’s and a Champions League trophy in a very impressive career. Maybe he can stretch to a Ribena again when he hangs up his boots.
1) James Vaughan– 16 years 8 months 27 days
Vaughan may be the youngest scorer on this list but he was also a talented sprinter as a teenager running the third fastest time in the country at age 13. He came through the ranks at Everton though and by 2005 had worked his way into the Toffees squad.
His debut substitute appearance against Crystal Palace brought his record breaking goal in a 4-0 win. A mix of injuries and high expectations lead Vaughan to have a mixed career but nobody can ever take this record from him.