The final of the UEFA Champions League is a game that separates the men from the boys. It is the most important match in club football, and players have a wonderful opportunity to build a name for themselves.Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in the final of the 2022 edition of the competition, with Vinicus Junior scoring the winning goal. The Brazilian winger became one of the Champions League final's youngest goal scorers. Since Lionel Messi did it for Barcelona in 2009, he is the youngest player to score 10 goals in a Champions League season.
Playing in the Champions League final is challenging enough, but scoring in it as a teenager is much more difficult.
Without further ado, here is a list of the five Champions League finals' youngest goal scorers.
Vinicius Jr., #5 (21 years and 320 days)
When Real Madrid agreed to a contract with Flamengo when he was only 16, Vinicius Junior was touted as the closest youth Brazilian football had ever seen to Neymar. When he turned 18, the attacker joined his Real Madrid teammates, as that is the minimum age for an international transfer.
In his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, Vinicius always seemed like he was going to explode, but he needed to establish his consistency.
After sliding behind Trent Alexander-Arnold and slamming home from close range on May 28th, 2022, he delivered the Champions League title to his side for the 14th time. The goal demonstrated how far he has progressed as a Real Madrid player this season.
Vinicius Junior became the first player under the age of 30 to score in a Champions League final since teammate Asensio in 2017. It was also the ideal way to cap off a season in which he scored 22 goals. In 2020-21, on the other hand, the youngster scored three goals in one fewer appearance.
He was named 'Young Player of the Year' in the competition.
Marco Asensio, No. 4 (21 years and 133 days)
Marco Asensio was one of Spain's best young players, and Zinedine Zidane rewarded him with valuable playing time at Real Madrid. The Spaniard had a reputation as one of the best young players in the world, and his performances backed up those statements.
In the 2017 Champions League final against Juventus, Asensio scored for Real Madrid. He scored the game's final goal as his team triumphed 4-1. He just played the final eight minutes of the game, yet he still managed to score a goal for his team. That season, he was a regular for Los Blancos, appearing in 38 games across all competitions.Asensio's route to the top of his game has been impeded by injuries, but the 26-year-old continues to play regularly for Los Blancos. In 2021-22, he scored 10 goals in 31 league games for Real Madrid, a respectable result for a winger.
Lars Ricken, No. 3 (20 years and 322 days)
Borussia Dortmund was to meet Italian powerhouse and defending Champions Juventus in the 1997 Champions League final. When local boy Lars Ricken was brought onto the pitch for the final 20 minutes, the German team had a 2-1 lead.
Ricken made a historic entrance into the game and scored an iconic goal 16 seconds later. From 20 yards away, the midfielder lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper to give his team a 3-1 advantage and basically conclude the game. To this day, he holds the record for the fastest goal scored by a replacement in a Champions League final.
Ricken spent two seasons as a key player of the Borussia Dortmund team that won the Bundesliga twice in a row. However, the midfielder began to suffer from a succession of ailments that prevented him from performing at his best.He retired in 2009 after spending his entire career at Borussia Dortmund.
Carlos Alberto, No. 2 (19 years and 167 days)
Jose Mourinho unearthed a number of hidden talents at a minimal cost in the early stages of his managerial career. Carlos Alberto, a Brazilian attacking midfielder who scored in the 2004 Champions League final for FC Porto, was one of them.
Mourinho put Carlos Alberto into the starting lineup for the Champions League final against AS Monaco when he was only 19 and in his first season at FC Porto. The teenager did not disappoint, scoring the game's first goal in a 3-0 victory for his team. In the first half of the game, he scored on a well-placed volley.Following that, Alberto struggled to live up to the original expectations surrounding his career, bouncing from one team to the next. After playing for 14 different clubs in Brazil and Europe, he retired in 2019. During his career, he also made five appearances for Selecao.
Patrick Kluivert (18 years, 327 days) is the youngest player to score in a Champions League final.
Patrick Kluivert made his professional debut for Ajax in the 1994-95 season, scoring the most goals in the Eredivisie for the club. As an 18-year-old, he scored 18 goals in 25 games, but it was on the continental stage that he made the most impact.In the 1995 final, Kluivert came on as a 70th-minute substitute for Ajax against AC Milan. The Dutchman scored in the 85th minute to win the game for his team as the game appeared to be heading to extra time. He made history by becoming the youngest player to score in a Champions League final.
Kluivert had a successful goal-scoring career with clubs such as AC Milan, FC Barcelona, and PSV Eindhoven. After a successful career at the highest level, the Dutchman retired in 2007.
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