Nigerian footballer, George Ilenikhena, has made history in the UEFA Champions League by becoming the youngest African player to reach 15 appearances in the competition.
Ilenikhena achieved the feat after featuring in Monaco’s 6-1 loss to Barcelona, breaking the record held earlier by his compatriot, Kanu Nwankwo, who formerly set the record in mid 1990’s during his days with Ajax Amsterdam.
The Lagos-born forward, who places himself among the youngest players to reach the landmark in the UEFA competition, featured in the game at age 19 and 157, eclipsing Kanu’s who was 19 years and 260 days old when he bagged the feat.
In July 2024, he joined Monaco and later became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer in the Champions League breaking the earlier set record by Kyllian Mbappe.
His debut in the tournament, made as a player of Belgian side, Royal Antwerp, saw him score a 92-minute winning goal against Barcelona in December 2023, which marked one of the earliest major moments in UEFA club competitions.
