Full List of Youngest Players in Euros History
Fresh Faces and Rising Stars: A Look at the Youngest Players in Euros History
One of the fiercest football competitions worldwide is the European Championship. To his colleagues' dismay, Kylian Mbappe asserted that winning the continental championship is even more difficult than winning the World Cup.
The French world champion didn't debut at the Euros until he was 22, despite having taken the world by storm as a youngster in 2018. There are relatively few young players trusted at this high level because of the four-year interval between tournaments, the limited number of slots in each international squad, and the quality of opponents.
On June 14, 2024, the host country of Germany will play Scotland in a Group A match at the Munich Football Arena to begin the 17th edition of the European Championships, often known as UEFA Euro 2024.
The European Championships have seen participation from athletes of various ages over the years. Poland's Kacper Kozlowski, who played against Spain at Euro 2020 at the age of 17 years, and 246 days, is the youngest player in history to take the field.
Youngest players at the Euro Championship
| Rank | Player | Nation | Year | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamine Yamal | Spain | 2024 | 16 years and 338 days |
| 2 | Kacper Kozlowski | Poland | 2021 | 17 years and 246 days |
| 3 | Jude Bellingham | England | 2021 | 17 years and 349 days |
| 4 | Jetro Willems | Netherlands | 2012 | 18 years and 71 days |
| 5 | Enzo Scifo | Belgium | 1984 | 18 years and 115 days |
| 6 | Jamal Musiala | Germany | 2021 | 18 years and 117 days |
| 7 | Valeri Bojinov | Bulgaria | 2004 | 18 years and 122 days |
| 8 | Johan Vonlanthen | Switzerland | 2004 | 18 years and 141 days |
| 9 | Pedri | Spain | 2021 | 18 years and 201 days |
| 10 | Marcus Rashford | England | 2016 | 18 years and 229 days |
Top 6 Youngest Players in Euros History:
1. Lamine Yamal (Spain)
16 years and 338 days
Following an incredible 2023–24 season with Barcelona, Lamine Yamal created history in Spain's opening Euro 2024 match by being the youngest player to ever compete in the competition and the first 16-year-old to ever appear. Born in 2007, the Barcelona player was just four years old when Spain won the 2012 European Championship.
European Championship Debut
Match- Spain 3-0 Croatia
Date- 15th June 2024
Minutes- 86
Goals- 0
Assists- 1
2. Kacper Kozlowski (Poland)
17 years and 246 days
Kacper Kozlowski was bedridden in a hospital, suffering from three damaged vertebrae in his back and a shattered pelvis, five months before Euro 2020 was originally scheduled. The competition was rescheduled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was only then that the Polish adolescent recovered in time to shatter the record for the youngest player in Euro history.
European Championship Debut
Match- Spain 1-1 Poland
Date- 19th June 2021
Minutes- 35
Goals- 0
Assists- 0
3. Jude Bellingham (England)
17 years and 349 days
In 2021, Jude Bellingham became the youngest player in the history of the European Championship for a limited period after having his jersey number retired and moving overseas for a cost of £26 million. The former Birmingham City youth player began playing football at the age of seven, and he freely admits that he "didn't really enjoy it" at first.
European Championship Debut
Match- England 1-0 Croatia
Date- 13th June 2021
Minutes- 8
Goals- 0
Assists- 0
4. Jetro Willems (Netherlands)
18 years and 71 days
The Netherlands had a formidable team going into Euro 2012, having advanced to the World Cup final two years earlier. However, Bert van Marwijk's team lacked a prominent left-back behind the likes of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Robin van Persie some of the best Dutch players of all time. Jetro Willems was unexpectedly selected by a normally risk-averse coach less than a year after making his premier league debut.
European Championship Debut
Match- Netherlands 0-1 Denmark
Date- 9th June 2012
Minutes- 90
Goals- 0
Assists- 0
5. Enzo Scifo (Belgium)
18 years and 115 days
Through long hours of street play, Enzo Scifo developed a familial relationship with the ball, developing a velvet first touch by responding to the uncomfortable bounces produced by the uneven surface. By the time Belgium chose the beautiful midfielder for Euro 1984, he had hardly left Wallonia's concrete.
European Championship Debut
Match- Belgium 2-0 Yugoslavia
Date- 13th June 1984
Minutes- 90
Goals- 0
Assists- 0
6. Jamal Musiala (Germany)
18 years and 117 days
Jamal Musiala played for England's under-21 squad and scored goals seven months before making his debut for Germany against Hungary at Euro 2020. The attacker, who was born in Stuttgart, played for Chelsea's academy in London during his early years before being signed by Bayern Munich. He was there for over ten years.
European Championship Debut
Match- Germany 2-2 Hungary
Date- 23rd June 2021
Minutes- 8
Goals- 0
Assists- 0
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