One Last Chance For Dortmund Striker To Break UCL Record Held By Ex-Chelsea Star Babayaro

Published: December 03, 2020

Borussia Dortmund teenage striker Youssoufa Moukoko has one last chance to break Celestine Babayaro's longstanding record of being the youngest player to feature in the UEFA Champions League.

The Germany youth international of Cameroonian descent was an unused substitute as the Bundesliga side were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio at Signal-Iduna-Park (Dortmund) on Wednesday.

Assuming Moukoko featured against the Italians, he would have made history as the youngest ever player to play in the Champions League aged 16 years and 12 days.

Babayaro was 16 years and 87 days old when he started for RSC Anderlecht against FC Steaua Bucureşti on 23 November 1994.

With Borussia Dortmund guaranteed a spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League as a result of a better head-to-head advantage over Club Brugge, manager Lucien Favre may opt to hand a Champions League debut to the German-Cameroonian against Zenit St Petersburg next Tuesday.

And if that happens, Moukoko would be aged 16 years and 18 days, breaking the record held by Babayaro.

The promising striker has been training with Borussia Dortmund's first team since August and made his Bundesliga debut against Hertha BSC on November 21, a days after he turned 16.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com

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