WORLD CUP 2022
Who are the youngest players to play in a World Cup?
The sport of football has become so professionalized that nowadays, kids are turning pro at a younger age.
The World Cup comes every four years, and every four years, every kid dreams of playing for their national team. Every kid dreams of being the next Messi, the next Cristiano, in older times, Maradona or Pele. And there are some kids who do get to make their dream come true. They get to be on the biggest stage at an early age.
The sport of football has become so professionalized that nowadays, kids are turning pro at a younger age. Spain’s midfield is comprised of two teenagers, Pedri and Gavi, who are 19 and 18, respectively. Englan will have Saka, that’s also a teenager. Almost all of the 32 teams have someone who is still in their teens.
But who are the youngest players in World Cup history? Who has the opportunity to represent their nation while still attending school?
- (5) Pelé - 17 years, 234 days: Pelé scored the sole goal in the Seleço’s 1-0 quarterfinal win over Wales and then scored a hat trick in the Seleço’s 5-2 semi-final victory against France to set two World Cup records. In the following title game against Sweden, Pelé was held to a double , being the youngest player to appear in and score in a World Cup final at the tender age of 17 years and 249 days.
- (4) Salomon Olembé - 17 years, 184 days: Salomon Olembé, who had made his debut for the national team the year before by making his debut against England at the old Wembley Stadium as a 16-year-old, had become Cameroon’s youngest player in the FIFA World Cup finals six days prior to Eto’o’s debut. He later became the second-youngest player overall.
- (3) Femi Opabunmi - 17 years, 100 days: Overall, Nigeria’s performance in the 2002 tournament was a letdown, with losses to Argentina and Sweden knocking them out of contention. However, with a 0-0 tie against England in their last game, Femi Opabunmi became the third-youngest player in World Cup history.
- (2) Samuel Eto’o - 17 years, 98 days: Samuel Eto’o made his World Cup debut in Cameroon’s 3-0 loss to Italy to become one of the youngest players in World Cup history. The then-Real Madrid star made his debut for his nation the day before his 16th birthday the previous year, but this was his first World Cup final.
- (1) Norman Whiteside - 17 years, 40 days: The record would fall to Whiteside in his country’s first game of the tournament, but he wouldn’t be able to score a goal to celebrate. He was given a yellow, becoming the youngest player ever to be cautioned at a FIFA World Cup.
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