Who are the youngest players to feature at a UEFA European Championship?
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Article summary
Meet the youngest EURO players, the youngest EURO finalist, the youngest EURO scorers and the youngest EURO goalkeeper.
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Youngest player to appear
Kacper Kozłowski (17 years and 246 days)
Then on the books of Pogoń Szczecin, the Poland midfielder broke a record which had been set just six days before by England's Jude Bellingham (17 years and 349 days) when he replaced Mateusz Klich midway through the second half in a 1-1 group stage draw against Spain at UEFA EURO 2020.
EURO's youngest players
17 yrs 246 days: Kacper Kozłowski (Spain 1-1 Poland, 19/06/2021)
17 yrs 349 days: Jude Bellingham (England 1-0 Croatia, 13/06/2021)
18 yrs 71 days: Jetro Willems (Netherlands 0-1 Denmark, 09/06/2012)
18yrs 115 days: Enzo Scifo (Belgium 2-0 Yugoslavia, 13/06/1984)
18yrs 117 days: Jamal Musiala (Germany 2-2 Hungary, 23/06/2021)
Youngest goalkeeper to appear
José Ángel Iribar (21 years and 108 days)
Younger goalkeepers have been included in EURO squads – Iker Casillas at UEFA EURO 2000 and Igor Akinfeev at UEFA EURO 2004 – but Iribar made the mark as the youngest keeper during Spain's 2-1 win against Hungary on 17 June 1964. Four days later he was also EURO's youngest winning goalkeeper as his team beat the USSR 2-1.
Youngest player to score
Johan Vonlanthen (18 years and 141 days)
The teenage midfielder made his finals debut at UEFA EURO 2004, on the day Wayne Rooney became the youngest scorer in EURO history with two goals against Vonlanthen's Switzerland side. Vonlanthen claimed the scoring record for himself by registering against France four days later, in a 3-1 defeat on 21 June.
Young player to appear in knockout stage
Jude Bellingham (18 years and four days)
Rooney held this record courtesy of his outing against Portugal in the 2004 quarter-finals. The record changed hands three times at EURO 2020, first with Pedri breaking new ground in Spain's last-16 tie against Croatia before – just a day later – Jamal Musiala overhauled him for Germany against England. Bellingham then laid down the current benchmark during England's quarter-final defeat of Ukraine.
Youngest player to appear in a final
Renato Sanches (18 years and 328 days)
Having come to UEFA EURO 2016 fresh from joining Bayern from Benfica, midfielder Renato Sanches had a reputation to live up to. He did so by showing tigerish determination to force his way into the first team and then appearing in Portugal's shock final triumph against hosts France.
Youngest player to score in a final
Pietro Anastasi (20 years and 63 days)
Anastasi's right-footed volley from outside the box doubled Italy's advantage against Yugoslavia in the 1968 final in Rome – and made the striker the youngest EURO final marksman ever. He was renowned for being the world's most expensive player when he joined Juventus from Varese in 1968.