Rio Ngumoha could become Liverpool’s youngest ever goal scorer this season | OneFootball

Rio Ngumoha’s Race Against Time to Become Liverpool’s Youngest Ever Goal Scorer

Rising Star Rio Ngumoha Turning Heads in Pre-season

Liverpool’s return from their pre-season tour of Asia has sparked no shortage of talking points, but one name is dominating the conversation: Rio Ngumoha. Signed from Chelsea amid a flurry of excitement last summer, Ngumoha was always seen as one for the future. Yet, the 16-year-old’s performances in pre-season suggest the future may arrive sooner than expected.

Introduced to the senior squad in January with a debut in the FA Cup, Ngumoha impressed in flashes. Fast forward to this summer, and his progress has been impossible to ignore. In Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Yokohama F. Marinos, he showcased his attacking flair with a superbly taken goal—prompting rave reviews and fuelling expectations for the season ahead.

A Historic Opportunity Within Reach

As anticipation builds, so too does the sense that Ngumoha could soon etch his name into the club’s history books. According to former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor, there’s a clear window of opportunity for the teenager to break new ground.

Posting on X, Mellor explained:“Rio Ngumoha has until October 13th to score a competitive goal to be officially the youngest scorer for LFC,” he wrote.“Comm shield, 7 Prem games, couple of CL games and also maybe that one game in League Cup to do it in.”

With a handful of competitive fixtures scheduled before that mid-October cut-off, Ngumoha could potentially surpass a record that has stood since 2016.

The Cautionary Tale of Ben Woodburn

To break the record, Ngumoha would need to score before turning 17 on October 13th. The current record-holder, Ben Woodburn, netted at just 17 years and 45 days old against Leeds United in November 2016. But while his achievement was historic, his Liverpool career never fully ignited. Now 25, Woodburn plies his trade at League Two side Salford City after making just 11 senior appearances for the Reds.

Photo: IMAGO

Liverpool’s list of youngest scorers includes names like Kaide Gordon and Michael Owen, but their subsequent trajectories have varied wildly. For Ngumoha, surpassing Woodburn’s milestone would be notable, but the true challenge lies in carving out a sustained role at Anfield.