Nigerian-born striker George Ilenikhena broke the Kylian Mbappe Champions League record, becoming the youngest player to ever score a goal in the Champions League for Monaco.
The Monaco striker Ilenikhena scored the goal at the age of 18 years and 34 days, beating Mbappe’s record of scoring his first Champions League goal for Monaco at the age of 18 years and 63 days.
Ilenikhena scored the winning goal in the 71st minute of the Champions League match against Barcelona because of the club’s defensive error.
The Catalonia were down to 10 men in the 10th minute of the match after Eric Garcia was shown a straight red card.
In the previous season, the star scored his first goal against Barcelona in a Royal Antwerp Champions League group stage 3-2 win against the Catalonia.
After the game, Monaco went to their social media account to praise the performance of the 18-year-old striker.
Below are all you need to know about George Ilenikhena:
George Ilenikhena Stats
The Monaco star has made 89 appearances, scoring 34 goals and creating one assist in all club competitions. He has received five yellow cards with no red card so far in his career.
Out of the 34 goals scored, 14 were for Royal Antwerp, two for Amiens SC, six for Amiens SC B, 11 for Amiens SC U19, and a goal for Monaco.
Where is George Ilenikhena from?
Ilenikhena is from Lagos, Nigeria, in West Africa.
How Old Is Ilenikhena?
The Monaco star was born on August 16, 2006, in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. He is currently 18 years old with a height of 6 feet and 1 inch.
What Is Ilenikhena’s Market Value?
Ilenikhena has a market value of €10 million. According to the market value, the player is the 91st most expensive player in the Ligue 1.
How Rich Is George Ilenikhena?
The Monaco striker has a net worth of £531,000. He got his net worth mostly from football salaries.
His Football Career
In the 2021-22 season, Ilenikhena started his professional football career with the Amiens team.
During his first season, the attacker scored 24 goals in all club competitions for the U-17 team.
On November 19, 2022, the striker made his professional debut for the Amiens first team. The attacker proceeded in his career and went ahead to play for Belgium giant Royal Antwerp on a transfer fee worth £6 million.
During his playing time at Royal Antwerp, George scored his first Champions League goal against Barcelona on December 13, 2022.
He left the club to join Ligue 1 Monaco on July 25, 2024. On September 19, 2024, the attacker scored a goal in a 2-1 win over Monaco in the Champions League.
His Salary
Monaco have failed to reveal the salary of the former Royal Antwerp player. However, he is expected to be earning a significant fee in terms of wages.
Ilenikhena Achievement
The Attacker won the Belgian Super Cup with Royal Antwerp in the 2023-24 season. He was instrumental in the success of the team last season before he moved to Monaco.
What’s your take on Ilenikhena beating Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe’s record of youngest footballer to net a goal for Monaco in the Champions League? Please, share your thoughts with us in the comments box below:
