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Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool's 16-year-old joins Wayne Rooney in this rare Premier League milestone
Rio Ngumoha scored Liverpool's third goal today, in the Premier League game against Newcastle, as Arne Slot's team won 3-2.
Rio Ngumoha had his moment in the spotlight today, helping Liverpool break a tie with hosts Newcastle, and clinch a 3-2 win in the Premier League fixture. Arne Slot's side is off to a good start as the defending champions have won the first two games in the new season.
Today's win was aided by goals from Ryan Gravenberch, new striker Hugo Ekitike, and 16-year-old talent Rio Ngumoha. Ngumoha netted Liverpool's third goal at 90+10 minutes helping them break the tie with the Tyneside hosts.
With this, he reaches a rare and significant milestone – becoming one of the youngest players to score a Premier League goal along with Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney.
What is the milestone Rio Ngumoha reached?
Prior to Ngumoha, there were only three players who scored their first Premier League goals at the age of 16. Wayne Rooney was 16 years and 360 days old when he netted the goal for Everton while playing Arsenal in 2002.
The same year, James Milner – who went on to become a Liverpool stalwart – grabbed a goal at 16 years and 356 days, when he was playing for Leeds, against Sunderland. James Vaughan, when he played for Everton, became the youngest player to score a goal in the Premier League ever, netting one past Crystal Palace when he was 16 years and 270 days old.
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By comparison, Ngumoha's first goal comes days before he turns 17. The talented youngster's birthday is August 29.
Who is Rio Ngumoha?
Rio Ngumoha is an English soccer player of Nigerian descent. He has played on the England U-15, U-16, and U-17 teams. Ngumoha plays as a winger or attacking midfielder, and has drawn praise for being skillful and creative with the ball for his age.
He trained in the Chelsea academy, spending eight years in London, before Liverpool swooped in to sign the young player who showed potential. The move from the Merseyside club reportedly angered Chelsea, with The Daily Mail saying at the time that they were unhappy to lose a ‘generational talent’.
Ngumoha made his professional debut for Liverpool in January 2025, during the FA Cup game against Accrington Stanley, which they won 4-0. At 16 years and 135 days, when he made the match debut, Ngumoha became the youngest Liverpool player to appear in the FA Cup and the youngest to start a first-team game in the club's history too.
Rooney, who Ngumoha now joins in the rare 16-year-old goalscorer milestone, had said he'd be one to watch this Premier League season, The Mirror had reported.
