The UEFA Champions League has seen some of the greatest players grace the competition through the years. A total of 23 clubs have won the Champions League, with Real Madrid holding the record for the most victories, having won the trophy 15 times. The Spanish giants also won the inaugural edition during the 1955/56 campaign. Several players have not only made their debuts in Europe’s top competition at such a young age but have gone on to lift the much-coveted trophy.
The 2024/2025 edition of the competition is likely to feature a number of highly talented young players hoping to make their mark and even lift the crown come the end of the season. Chief among them, is Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal, who at just 17-years-old, would make history if he helped the Catalan giants claim European glory. Here is a list of the youngest ever winners of the Champions League.
Youngest Champions League Winners | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Player | Team | Year | Age |
1. | Antonio Simoes | Benfica | 1962 | 18 Years and 139 Days |
2. | Brian Kidd | Manchester United | 1968 | 19 Years and 0 Days |
3. | Iker Casillas | Real Madrid | 2000 | 19 Years and 4 Days |
4. | Clarence Seedorf | Ajax | 1995 | 19 Years and 51 Days |
5. | Carlos Alberto | Porto | 2004 | 19 Years and 135 Days |
6. | Edward Linksens | PSV Eindhoven | 1988 | 19 Years and 201 Days |
7. | Johan Neeskans | Ajax | 1971 | 19 Years and 261 Days |
8. | Gianni Rivera | AC Milan | 1963 | 19 Years and 277 Days |
8 Gianni Rivera
AC Milan
Such was Gianni Rivera’s supreme talent, the Italian media dubbed him the “Golden Boy.” Rivera played most of his career in Serie A with AC Milan, winning 12 major honours with the club, including two Champions League triumphs. His first Champions League trophy came when he was just 19 years old – 88 days before his 20th birthday. The forward made his AC Milan debut at 17 and had already racked up over 50 appearances for the club before lifting the Champions League.
Rivera had international success with Italy, winning Euro 1968. Two years later, he missed out on winning the World Cup with his country, losing 4-1 to a formidable Brazil side in the final.
Gianni Rivera Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | AC Milan, Alessandria & Italy |
Career Appearances | 744 |
Career Honours | Serie A (3) Coppa Italia (4) Champions League (2) European Cup Winners’ Cup (2) Intercontinental Cup (1) European Championship (1) |
7 Johan Neeskans
Ajax
Johan Neeskans is considered one of the greatest players the Netherlands have ever produced. His importance to the national side was unquestionable. Neeskans was a part of the Netherlands team that fell short in consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978. Despite being a midfielder, Neeskans started as Ajax’s right-back in the 1971 Champions League final victory against Panathinaikos. The win saw Neeskans lift the Champions League trophy before his 20th birthday – the Dutchman was 19 years and 261 days old at the time of the triumph.
Neeskans won 14 major honours during an illustrious career, including two more Champions League trophies with Ajax. The midfielder’s three Champions League titles came in three consecutive years for a dominant Ajax side.
Johan Neeskans Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | Racing Club Heemstede, Ajax, Barcelona, New York Cosmos, Groningen, South Florida Sun, Kansas City Cornets, Lowenbrau, Baar, Zug & The Netherlands |
Career Appearances | 499 |
Career Honours | Eredivisie (2) KNVB Cup (2) Champions League (3) Intercontinental Cup (1) European Super Cup (2) Copa del Rey (1) European Cup Winners’ Cup (1) North American Soccer League (2) |
6 Edward Linskens
PSV Eindhoven
Edward Linskens played most of his career for PSV Eindhoven, making 136 appearances for the club. During that time, he won nine major trophies for the club, including the Champions League in 1988. Linskens scored the equaliser in the Champions League semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid and played the entire final against Benfica. Linskens was just 19 when he won the Champions League, playing with a maturity far beyond his years.
The midfielder remained in Europe his entire career, playing for other Dutch sides in VVV-Venlo and NAC Breda. Linskens later played for Belgium side Lokeren before hanging up his boots.
Edward Linskens Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | VVV-Venlo, Lokeren, NAC Breda, PSV Eindhoven & The Netherlands |
Career Appearances | 227 |
Career Honours | Eredivisie (4) Champions League (1) KNVB Cup (4) |
5 Carlos Alberto
Porto
A part of Jose Mourinho’s unforgettable Porto side that won the Champions League in 2004. Carlos Alberto scored the first goal in the 2004 final against AS Monaco as Porto romped to a 3-0 win and completed an incredible story. A career that promised so much didn’t quite hit the heights expected of Alberto. His time at Porto was the most successful in his career, winning four trophies during his two seasons in Portugal.
Alberto was 19 when he won the Primera Liga and Champions League with Porto. Despite his age, he was not among the youngest players to score in the Champions League.
Carlos Alberto Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | Fluminese, Porto, Corinthians, Werder Bremen, Botafogo, Vasco de Gama, Bahia, Figueirense, Atletico Paranaense & Brazil |
Career Appearances | 451 |
Career Honours | Campeonato Carioca (1) Copa do Brasil (1) Primiera Liga (1) Supertaca Candido de Oliviera (1) Champions League (1) Intercontinental (1) Campeonato Barsileiro Serie A (1) Campeonato Brasileiro Serie B (1) |
4 Clarence Seedorf
Ajax
Clarence Seedorf is one of the most decorated players from the Netherlands, starting his career at Ajax and coming through their famous youth system. Three years after making his debut for Ajax’s first team, he lifted the Champions League trophy with the club at age 19, just 6 weeks after his birthday. Seedorf won four major trophies for Ajax before moving to Real Madrid via Sampdoria and establishing himself as one of the greatest central midfielders.
Seedorf won three more Champions League titles, his second coming with Real Madrid in 1997/98 and two during his time at AC Milan in 20023/04 and 2010/11. Despite his domestic success, Seedorf failed to win a major tournament with the Netherlands.
Clarence Seedorf Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | Ajax, Sampdoria, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Botafogo & The Netherlands |
Career Appearances | 977 |
Career Honours | Eredivisie (2) KNVB Cup (1) Champions League (4) La Liga (1) Supercopa de Espana (1) Intercontinental Cup (1) Serie A (2) Coppa Italia (1) Super Coppa Italia (1) UEFA Super Cup (1) FIFA Club World Cup (1) Campeonato Carioca (1) |
3 Iker Casillas
Real Madrid
Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history, Iker Casillas spent most of his career at Real Madrid. His first trophy for the Spanish giants was the 1999/2000 Champions League, four days after his 19th birthday. Casillas kept a clean sheet in the final as Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-0. He became a mainstay in the side, winning 18 major trophies with the club, including two more Champions League titles in 2001/02 and 2013/14. A move to Porto in 2015 followed, and Casillas continued to win trophies, winning the Primera Liga during his time in Portugal.
Casillas was successful on the international stage, winning two European Championships and a World Cup, as part of a record-breaking Spanish side. Spain became the first team to defend their European Championship title in 2012, and the first international men’s team to win three consecutive major titles.
Iker Casillas Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | Real Madrid, Porto & Spain |
Career Appearances | 1,078 |
Career Honours | La Liga (5) Copa del Rey (2) Supercopa de Espana (4) Champions League (3) UEFA Super Cup (2) FIFA Club World Cup (1) Intercontinental Cup (1) Primera Liga (1) Supertaca Candido de Oliviera (1) FIFA World Cup (1) European Championships (2) |
2 Brian Kidd
Manchester United
Brian Kidd is perhaps more well known for being an assistant manager for Manchester United and Manchester City to modern-day supporters. However, during his playing career, Kidd lifted the Champions League trophy for Manchester United on his 19th birthday in 1967/68. He is the second-youngest player ever to lift the famous trophy and scored in the Red Devil’s Champions League final victory over Benfica in 1968.
Kidd later played for Arsenal, Manchester City, Everton and Bolton before spending time in America. Despite playing over 500 games throughout his career, the Champions League triumph was the only major trophy Kidd won.
Brian Kidd Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Everton, Bolton, Atlanta Chiefs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Minnesota Strikers & England |
Career Appearances | 547 |
Career Honours | Champions League (1) |
1 Antonio Simoes
Benfica
Perhaps an unknown entity to modern-day supporters, Antonio Simoes’ career was formidable. He racked up 10 Primera Liga titles with Benfica and is still the youngest-ever player to win the Champions League. Simoes was 18 years and 139 days old when he lifted the Champions League for Benfica in 1962. Following a prolific career in Portugal, the winger moved to America, playing for several teams.
Despite his domestic success, Simoes failed to win a major tournament for Portugal, finishing the 1966 World Cup in third place, after beating the Soviet Union in the third-place play-off game.
Antonio Simoes Career Stats | |
|---|---|
Teams Played For | Benfica, Boston Minutemen, Estoril, San Jose Earthquakes, Uniao Tomar, New Jersey Americans, Dallas Tornado & Portugal |
Career Appearances | 475 |
Career Honours | Primera Liga (10) Taca de Portugal (4) Champions League (1) |
Player statistics are sourced from Transfermarkt.