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The UEFA Champions League final is one match that separates the men from the boys. It is the biggest match in club football and provides a great chance for players to make a name for themselves.
Vinicus Junior scored the winner for Real Madrid as they overcame Liverpool in the final of the 2022 edition of the competition. The Brazilian winger became one of the youngest goalscorers in a Champions League final. He is the youngest player to contribute 10 goals in a Champions League season since Lionel Messi did it for Barcelona in 2009.
Playing in the final of the Champions League is no mean feat, but scoring in it as a youngster is even more difficult.
Without further ado, here is a list of the five youngest goalscorers in the Champions League finals.
#5 Vinicius Jr (21 years and 320 days)
Vinicius Junior was hailed as the closest youngster Brazilian football had seen to Neymar when Real Madrid agreed a deal with Flamengo when he was only 16. The forward joined his Real Madrid teammates when he turned 18, as that is the minimum age for an international transfer.
Vinicius always looked like he was about to explode in his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, but he needed to find his consistency.
On 28 May 2022, he delivered the Champions League trophy to his side for the 14th time after sneaking behind Trent Alexander-Arnold to slam home from close range. The goal showed how far he has come as a player for Real Madrid this season.
By scoring against Liverpool, Vinicius Junior became the youngest goalscorer in a Champions League final since teammate Marco Asensio in 2017. It was also the perfect way to round off the season with 22 goals to his name. In contrast, the youngster scored three goals in one lesser appearance in the 2020-21 season.
He was named the competition's 'Young Player of the Year'.
#4 Marco Asensio (21 years and 133 days)
Marco Asensio was one of Spain's finest youngsters and Zinedine Zidane treated him as such, giving him important minutes at Real Madrid. The Spaniard had a reputation for being one of the world's best youngsters and his performances backed these claims up.
Asensio scored for Real Madrid in the 2017 Champions League final against Juventus. He scored the final goal of the game, which his side won 4-1. He played only the last eight minutes of the game but managed to find the back of the net for his team. He was a regular for Los Blancos that season, making 38 appearances in all competitions.
Injuries have hampered Asensio's pathway to the top of his game, but the 26-year-old still features frequently for Los Blancos. He scored 10 goals in 31 league appearances for Real Madrid in 2021-22, a decent return from the winger.
#3 Lars Ricken (20 years and 322 days)
In the 1997 Champions League final, Borussia Dortmund were to face Italian giants and defending Champions Juventus. The German side held a 2-1 lead when local boy Lars Ricken was substituted onto the pitch for the final 20 minutes.
Ricken made an iconic entry into the match and 16 seconds later, he scored an iconic goal. The midfielder lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper from 20 yards out to give his side a 3-1 lead and effectively end the match. His goal remains the quickest by a substitute in a Champions League final, to this day.
Ricken enjoyed a couple of seasons as an integral member of Borussia Dortmund's side that claimed consecutive Bundesliga titles in 1995 and 1996. The midfielder, however, began to suffer from a series of injuries that denied him the opportunity to reach his best level.
He retired in 2009 having represented Borussia Dortmund throughout his entire career.
#2 Carlos Alberto (19 years and 167 days)
In the early days of his career as a manager, Jose Mourinho discovered a number of hidden talents at a very low cost. One of them was Brazilian attacking midfielder Carlos Alberto, who scored in the 2004 Champions League final for FC Porto.
Carlos Alberto was only 19 and in his first season at FC Porto when Mourinho thrust him into the starting line-up for the Champions League final against AS Monaco. The teenager did not disappoint as he opened the scoring for his side in a 3-0 win on the night. His goal came from a well-taken volley in the first half of the game.
Alberto failed to live up to the initial hype of his career afterwards, jumping from one club to the next. He retired in 2019 after representing 14 different clubs in Brazil and Europe. He also made five appearances for Selecao in his career.
#1 Patrick Kluivert (18 years and 327 days) - Youngest scorer in a Champions League Final
Patrick Kluivert made his professional debut for Ajax in the 1994-95 season and went on to score the most goals for the side in the Eredivisie that season. He scored 18 goals in 25 appearances as an 18-year-old, but his greatest contribution came on the continental stage.
Kluivert was a 70th minute substitute for Ajax in the 1995 final against AC Milan. With the game seemingly heading into extra-time, the Dutchman scored in the 85th minute to win the game for his side. In the process, he became the youngest player to score in a Champions League final in history.
Kluivert enjoyed a great goalscoring career in which he represented AC Milan, FC Barcelona, and PSV Eindhoven, among others. The Dutchman retired in 2007 after a fulfilling career at the highest level.
