Photo by Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0
When breakthrough starlets and wonderkids explode onto the scene in the Premier League, it can be an exhilarating experience and over the years, several fresh-faced teenagers have announced themselves in spectacular fashion, etching their name into English football folklore.
Scoring as a teen in the Premier League is no small feat; it requires talent, confidence and a special kind of fearlessness, but as legendary Manchester United manager Matt Busby once said, “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough”.
Below, we’ve taken a closer look at the top 10 trailblazers who struck gold before they could even legally buy a pint in our rundown of the youngest Premier League scorers in history.
10. Daniel Jebbison – 17 years, 309 days
Sheffield United vs Everton – 16 May 2021
Ontario-born Daniel Jebbison made history in May 2021 when he became the youngest player ever to score on his first Premier League start.
The forward produced a composed finish against Everton at Goodison Park at the tender age of 17 and even though Sheffield United’s relegation had already been confirmed at that point, Jebbison’s impact allowed the campaign to have a positive late slant.
9. Ethan Nwaneri – 17 years, 247 days
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest – 23 November 2024
Gunners wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri enjoyed a breakout campaign during the recent 2024/25 season and became the youngest player in Premier League history to make his debut aged just 15 years and 181 days when he featured off the bench against Brentford back in September 2024.
A few months later, Nwaneri opened his account for Arsenal in the Premier League with a fine strike against Nottingham Forest to become the 9th youngest goal-scorer since the division’s rebranding in 1992.
8. Lewis Miley – 17 years, 229 days
Newcastle vs Fulham – 16 December 2024
Lewis Miley has long been considered a jewel of the Newcastle United academy and the gifted midfielder showed a glimpse of his burgeoning potential when he opened the scoring in the Magpies’ 3-0 win over Fulham in December 2024.
At 17 years and 229 days, Miley became the youngest Newcastle goalscorer in Premier League history. Earlier in the same season, Miley also made history as the youngest United player to appear in a European fixture when he was introduced as a substitute against Borussia Dortmund in November.
7. Federico Macheda – 17 years, 226 days
Manchester United vs Aston Villa – 5 April 2009
Forever intoned by the iconic commentary of Martin Tyler, Federico Macheda produced one of the most memorable moments in the Premier League annals when he won a crucial title run in fixture for Manchester United against Aston Villa.
Macheda’s turn and curling finish was equal parts spectacular and dramatic with the 17-year-old Italian’s effort shifting title odds on EPL betting sites in United’s favour and earning him a permanent place in United folklore.
6. Andy Turner – 17 years, 166 days
Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton – 5 September 1992
We have to turn the clocks back all the way to 1992 to recall Andy Turner’s heroics against Everton at the beginning of the inaugural Premier League campaign.
Turner’s last-minute winner against the Toffees hinted at a rosy future for the young winger, however, he struggled to establish himself as a regular first-teamer with the Londoners and he eventually drifted down the football pyramid.
5. Michael Owen – 17 years, 143 days
Liverpool vs Wimbledon – 6 May 1997
When Michael Owen marked his competitive debut for Liverpool by scoring from the penalty spot in a late-season loss to Wimbledon at the end of the 1996/97 season, there were knowing glances in the Pool dugout and among Merseysiders in the stands.
Owen, who remains the only player under the age of 18 to take a Premier League penalty, went on to become the golden boy of English football and one of the best finishers the country has ever produced.
4. Cesc Fàbregas – 17 years, 113 days
Arsenal vs Blackburn – 25 August 2004
One of the finest midfielders of his generation, Cesc Fábregas scored his first Premier League goal in his third appearance in the division for Arsenal in the Gunners’ comfortable 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers in August 2004.
Taking his chance with typical composure, Fábregas would quickly establish himself as a key playmaker and first-team staple in Arséne Wenger’s exciting, young Arsenal squad.
3. Wayne Rooney – 16 years, 360 days
Everton vs Arsenal – 19 October 2002
Right out of the blocks, Wayne Rooney was ferociously aggressive and cared little for reputation, and the Croxteth-born brawler offered a glimpse of what was to come when he drove a thunderbolt from distance past England international David Seaman just before his 17th birthday.
Rooney won the game for Everton with his curling screamer from outside the box, announcing his arrival as a generational talent in the process. The forward had already become Everton’s youngest competitive scorer of all time thanks to a brace against Wrexham in the League Cup, but his goal against Arsenal was his first in the Premier League.
2. James Milner – 16 years, 356 days
Leeds United vs Sunderland – 26 December 2002
Now best known for his longevity, it’s hard to imagine James Milner as anything other than a grizzled Premier League veteran, though the versatile midfielder was once one of the division’s most highly-rated prospects.
Milner grabbed headlines on Boxing Day 2022, just a week and a half before his 17th birthday, when he leathered a goal past Sunderland while donning the white of Leeds United. Milner’s energy and maturity were evident on that occasion, laying the groundwork for a sparkling career.
1. James Vaughan – 16 years, 270 days
Everton vs Crystal Palace – 10 April 2005
Two decades after the deed, James Vaughan still holds the Premier League’s all-time youngest goalscorer record. Labelled as heir apparent to Wayne Rooney, Everton academy graduate James Vaughan looked ready to live up to expectations when he scored against Crystal Palace in April 2005.
Thrust into the action as a late substitute, Vaughan needed mere minutes to make an impact, netting Everton’s fourth goal in a meaty victory over the Eagles.
Unfortunately, Vaughan’s spark would fizzle out quickly however, and the young striker would go on to make 47 more appearances before leaving his beloved Blues in 2011.
