Rio Ngumoha: Liverpool wonderkid profiled as 16-year-old becomes instant Reds hero

Rio Ngumoha announced himself as the Premier League's latest wonderkid after scoring a remarkable, last-gasp winner for Liverpool on Monday night. The 16-year-old was given his Premier League debut by Arne Slot against Newcastle on Monday.

And he made his mark in grand style, coolly curling home a 100th minute winner for the Reds as they secured a chaotic victory at St James’ Park. The winning strike came after a bonkers match that had seen Liverpool throw away a 2-0 lead against ten-man Newcastle.

While plenty of the headlines before the game were dedicated to Alexander Isak , Ngumoha made sure that he was right at the forefront come the final whistle. Those at Anfield were already well aware of his talents, but his stunning winner and have made him a household name across the nation - with Liverpool team-mates already making sure his feet remain firmly planted on the ground.

But how did he get here? And what has been said about the youngster so far? Find out everything that you need to know about the teenager:

Nguhoma, 16, is an English forward who joined Liverpool in the summer of 2024. He came through the ranks at Chelsea's academy, joining at the age of eight but elected to move to Anfield in the summer of 2024.

His decision to leave Stamford Bridge was down to the fact he saw a clearer path to senior action, having seen a number of other academy graduates make the grade under Jurgen Klopp .

Chelsea were extremely frustrated at his departure, particularly considering they were unable to bank any transfer fee. They could eventually receive some money for his services through a tribunal, but it's unlikely to be anywhere near his real value.

Internationally, he plays for the England under-17 side but has Nigerian and Guadeloupean heritage, meaning he could represent both Nigeria and France on the international stage.

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Despite his tender years, Ngumoha has already been making waves. While still with the Blues, the young forward scored in Chelsea’s 3-1 win against Wolves in the under-17 Premier League Cup final.

And he immediately caught the eye after making the move to Merseyside. Arne Slot invited him to join in first-team training with Liverpool in Autumn last term before being named in a matchday squad for the first time in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup clash with Southampton in December.

More cup opportunities then came for Ngumoha as he made his debut in an FA Cup win against Accrington Stanley. As a result, he became the club’s second youngest-ever player to appear in the first team, behind Jerome Sinclair.

He was then included in this summer's pre-season tour squad and showed his huge potential with two goals and two assists in just four appearances . He continued that form with his strike against Newcastle which saw him become Liverpool’s youngest Premier League goalscorer.

He is the fourth youngest scorer in competition history behind James Vaughan, James Milner and Wayne Rooney , while becoming just the second 16-year-old to net a winning goal alongside the Manchester United legend.

Plenty has been said in the aftermath of Ngumoha’s memorable goal. Liverpool boss Arne Slot was full of praise for his strike.

He said: "Rio can finish so well for his age. I did hear someone say afterwards in the dressing room he would have taken a first touch but he is so confident. For his age he is a really good finisher.”

Meanwhile, captain Virgil van Dijk has also spoken out on the youngster’s impact but has sent him a warning to keep himself focused. He said: "It's a dream debut for him. I think that whole attack was quite good. I think Harvey [Elliott] started it or our right-hand side and Fede [Chiesa] did the dummy. It was a perfect attack. We stayed calm at the end to find the right solution to score the goal.

"I'm very pleased for Rio, I've said it to him already it all starts now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble but definitely have to enjoy this because these nights, you can't take them for granted if you're in his position. I'm sure with the players we have he will be back in training and having a hard session tomorrow again.”

Even before his goal at St James’ Park, big things were expected of Ngumoha. Chelsea legend John Terry backed the youngster for stardom having been left disappointed that his former club let him slip through their fingers.

Replying to Nguhoma’s announcement that he had signed for Liverpool, Terry replied: “Good luck mate," before adding: “This boy is and will be a top top player."

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