Lionel Messi, Mario Balotelli and Raúl were among the youngest scorers in Champions League history, but a new batch of stars replaced them until they missed out on the top twenty.
In 1992, the European Cup was renamed the Champions League, the most important tournament ever in world football at club level, and some may even prefer it to the World Cup.
Since it became the Champions League, the best players of both the current and past generations have left their mark in the exciting tournament.
Here are the 5 youngest scorers in Champions League history and what happened to them:
Ansu Fati, Antonio Nusa, Peter Ofori-Quaye...
Champions League youngest goalscorers 📺 #UCL pic.twitter.com/wtHx7n7Mlo
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 30, 2022
1. Spaniard Ansu Fati (17 years and 39 days)
Barcelona (vs Inter Milan) 2019-2020
He was barely 17 years old when he opened his scoring trajectory, and became the youngest scorer in Champions League history when he was playing for Barcelona in 2019.
The young winger appeared on the scene and the uproar surrounding him was so enormous that he wore the number 10 shirt as the successor to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.
But it was only a year later that injuries began to plague him and his star at the Camp Nou faded until he was doomed to move on loan to Brighton & Hove Albion this season at the age of 20.
Ansu Fati (left) moved on loan to Brighton this season (Reuters)
2. Norwegian Antonio Noosa (17 years and 149 days)
Club Brugge (vs Porto) 2022-2023
Noosa started his Champions League career impressively, scoring on his debut last year when he was 17.
The Norwegian has not been the highest-scoring striker so far, but he has shown glimpses that he could be a promising star.
At 18, Noosa has already featured twice for his country, scoring once, so it's clear that there's a talented goalscorer on the way.
13.09.2022: Antonio Nusa makes history ⚽️ #UCL pic.twitter.com/TBlUYcl34T
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 13, 2023
3. Ghanaian Peter Ofori Kwai (17 years and 194 days)
Olympiacos (vs. Rosenburg) 1997-1998
Peter Ofori Kwai remained the youngest all-time goalscorer in Champions League history for almost 13 years until his record was broken.
The record goal came in his first spells with Olympiacos, even representing his country and making 18 appearances.
But his brilliance did not last after his early departure from the Greek team. Now, Ofori Kwai is 43 years old, and the curtain came down on his football career quietly in 2012 after a short spell with Bechem United in Ghana.
Peter Ofori Quaye, 17 years, 6 months, 7 days.
On 1 Oct, 1997, he became the youngest goalscorer in champions league history, coming off the bench to score the consolation for Olympiacos in a 5-1 defeat at Norwegian side Rosenborg.
Record stood for 22 years. pic.twitter.com/cdfSvvQ2h6
— Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo (@Fentuo_) April 8, 2020
4. Croatian Mateo Kovačić (17 years and 215 days)
Dinamo Zagreb (vs Lyon) 2011-2012
While Dinamo Zagreb finished 7-1 when they met Lyon in 2011, it was a good day for Kovacić, who scored his first goal in the Champions League when he was not yet 18 years old.
He quickly signed for Inter Milan before moving to Real Madrid in 2016.
After 3 seasons at the Bernabéu, he joined Chelsea and had a good career at Stamford Bridge.
He is one of the most decorated players in the competitions, having won the Champions League on 4 separate occasions, 3 times with Real Madrid and once with Chelsea.
He joined Manchester City in the summer and will undoubtedly add to their impressive trophy tally under manager Pep Guardiola.
Kovačić joined Manchester City this season (Getty Images)
5. Spaniard Bojan Krkic (17 years and 217 days)
Barcelona (vs Schalke) 2007-2008
He was expected to become the next Lionel Messi, after his goalscoring talent exploded in the youth stages at FC Barcelona, where he scored more than 900 goals.
But despite his strong start to the first team and scoring his first goal in the Champions League when he was only under 18, he did not maintain his brilliance, leaving Barcelona for Roma in 2011, then Milan before returning to Barcelona in 2013 to leave him again.
Bojan Krkic... pic.twitter.com/Pq1Q1XUslp https://t.co/7cYziZsg9v
— eray (@eraygr_) September 13, 2023
He then moved to Stoke City in the Premier League and spent 5 years with the club without reaching stardom, a scenario no one expected in 2007.
After lukewarm experiences at Montreal Impact and Vissel Kobe, he failed to make any progress and decided to retire recently earlier this year and join Barcelona as coach of Barcelona's junior teams.
🎙️ | Bojan Krkic: "I am starting a new phase. I joined the new football organizational structure of FC Barcelona. I come back with the utmost excitement, ready to contribute my experience and help the club I love. Thank you very much to President Joan Laporta and to the board of... pic.twitter.com/RHbhV1k7Oq
— Barça Insider (@theBarcaInsider) September 13, 2023