Rio Ngumoha achieves feat the Premier League has never seen
Rio Ngumoha set a new feat for the Premier League on Sunday. Liverpool's wonderkid is doing magical things.
There wasn't too much for Liverpool to shout about after a dreadful display against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Rio Ngumoha, however, was a bright spark.
The teenager made his first Premier League start, getting the nod on the left flank. Ngumoha went on to shine brightly as he demonstrated the kind of skill that's generated serious hype around him.
The highlight was Ngumoha's dribbling. Liverpool, as a team, completed 12 dribbles in the fixture and their teenager accounted for seven of those.
Incredibly, that was from seven attempts, too - Ngumoha was simply unstoppable.
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And as OptaJoe points out, that's actually a record. No player as young as Ngumoha has completed seven dribbles in the same Premier League fixture, with a 100% success rate or otherwise.
A standout performance, then, from a standout talent.
Rio Ngumoha: Situation Summary
Record-Breaking Full Debut
On 15 March, the 17-year-old winger made his first top-flight start in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham at Anfield. Despite the result, Ngumoha set a Premier League record as the youngest player to attempt and complete 100% of his dribbles (7/7) in a single match. Pundits like Wayne Rooney and Jamie Carragher lauded his "fearlessness," with Rooney describing him as a "joy to watch." Slot explained that Ngumoha’s inclusion over senior stars like Mohamed Salah was based on his consistent improvement and training performances.
Contract and Development
Ngumoha is under a professional contract until June 2028, the maximum length allowed for his age when he signed in September 2025. In February 2026, a tribunal ruled that Liverpool must pay Chelsea a minimum of £2.8 million in compensation for his training. Already the club's youngest-ever goalscorer following a strike against Newcastle earlier in the season, he is now a vital part of the first-team squad and is in contention to start the crucial Champions League second leg against Galatasaray this Wednesday.
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