Sixteen-year-old budding footballer Rio Ngumoha marks his entrance at Anfield with a goal just two minutes into his Liverpool debut.
Rio Ngumoha Shines for Liverpool FC in Pre-Season and Beyond
Rio Ngumoha, the 16-year-old winger, has been making waves at Liverpool FC since his arrival from Chelsea's academy in 2024. Born in Newham, East London, Ngumoha joined Chelsea at the tender age of eight, rising through the ranks to feature for their U21 side at just 15. His talent did not go unnoticed, and in September 2024, Liverpool successfully recruited him to their academy, seeing him as a future star.
Ngumoha's career at Liverpool has been nothing short of impressive. He was called up to the first team in the 2024-2025 season by manager Arne Slot and made history as the youngest player to start for Liverpool in an FA Cup match, at 16 years and 135 days old. He played in both the Premier League and FA Cup squads during the season.
The youngster's pre-season in 2025 was equally impressive, scoring 2 goals and assisting 2 more for Liverpool’s senior team. His performances during pre-season and youth international games for England’s U17s have marked him as one of the continent’s top emerging talents.
In a friendly match against Yokohama F. Marinos, Ngumoha found the back of the net. In the FA Cup match against Accrington Stanley, he made his first Liverpool senior start, becoming the Reds' second-youngest starter. During the match against Athletic Bilbao, he delivered an assist for Darwin Nunez's goal and scored a stunning goal from outside the box.
Arne Slot fielded a heavily rotated team for the match against Athletic Bilbao, but Ngumoha's performance was still noteworthy. He started the match on the left wing and displayed maturity rarely seen among Liverpool youngsters. With Diogo Jota's passing and Luis Diaz's transfer to Bayern Munich, fans can expect Ngumoha to make his English Premier League debut next season.
Ngumoha's future at Liverpool looks bright. Given his pre-season impact and early first-team exposure, Slot appears keen to integrate Ngumoha more permanently into the senior squad this coming season. Fans and analysts suggest he will feature in Premier League and cup games throughout the 2025-26 campaign. The club and supporters expect Ngumoha to continue developing rapidly, potentially becoming a key player or even a star for Liverpool in the near future. Liverpool's strategy includes keeping him involved with the first team to gain experience while continuing his development.
In summary, Rio Ngumoha is a rising young winger at Liverpool who has already broken youth records while making impactful appearances this summer. He is widely viewed as a future first-team regular with great potential to excel at Liverpool FC. Ngumoha was born in August 2008 in the London Borough of Newham and spent eight years at Chelsea's academy before transitioning to Liverpool in 2024.
Rio Ngumoha's exceptional performances in the pre-season of 2025 have marked him as a potential star not only in the Premier League but also in European-leagues. His talent has been demonstrated as he scored goals and delivered assists for Liverpool's senior team, showcasing his potential in both the domestic and international football arena.
