Lamine Yamal is the youngest player in history to have played 100 games.
Many brilliant names have reached this milestone early in their careers before going on to achieve even greater success.
British performers Norman Whiteside and Jude Bellingham are also in the top ten.
A century is a significant number in any sport. Cricketers lift the bat when they score 100 runs in an innings. A tonne-plus finish in darts always makes supporters ecstatic. In football, it can have varied degrees of significance.
To make 100 appearances in your professional career implies you are well and firmly entrenched in the beautiful game, and if you’ve done it at the highest level, there is no doubt your future looks bright. However, the time it takes to attain that milestone varies. Lionel Messi was 20 when he reached triple figures, while Cristiano Ronaldo was 19.
Amazingly, some even outperformed the two greatest-ever players by reaching 100 games at a much younger age. Many have gone on to achieve great success since. Keeping that in mind, here’s how well the ten youngest players to attain that milestone have performed since.
1Lamine Yamal
Age for 100th appearance: 17 years 7 months
The most recent player to enter the top ten jumps straight to number one, becoming the youngest player to play 100 games for club and country. Only time will tell how far Lamine Yamal rises, but based on his early success, he should be able to reach the top.
So far, the winger has smashed multiple records, including becoming the youngest player and scoring at a European championship. He has won the Kopa Trophy and the European Golden Boy Award, and he has enjoyed domestic success with Barcelona. The sky is the utmost limit.
Lamine Yamal’s Career Statistics
Games
100
Goals
21
Assists
30
International Caps
17
Trophies
3
2Romelu Lukaku
Age for 100th appearance: 17 years 11 months
Romelu Lukaku’s exploits will be familiar to fans of English and Italian football, as the Belgian striker has represented seven clubs in both nations. At his peak, the former Anderlecht youth was a handful and impossible to stop. However, in the Premier League, he was dubbed a flat-track bully since his overall game faltered while competing against the major teams.
His stay at Manchester United and second stint at Chelsea were unsuccessful, but his overall goal total remains outstanding. He’s come a long way since the player who seemed out of place when towering over his opponents in youth football.
Romelu Lukaku’s Career Statistics
Games
781
Goals
395
Assists
112
International Caps
120
Trophies
6
3Youri Tielemans
Age for 100th appearance: 18 years 5 months
Youri Tielemans, another Anderlecht academy star, was regarded as the brightest future midfielder. As a youth, the Belgian had multiple admirers and appeared to be destined for greatness. While he has had a respectable career, he has not yet achieved that level.
Tielemans made a major move to AS Monaco, then to Leicester City, where he helped the Foxes push for European spots and scored a screamer to win the FA Cup in 2021. After being relegated in 2023, he transferred to Aston Villa, where he is a regular and is back competing in the Champions League for the first time since 2019.
Youri Tielemans’ Career Statistics
Games
601
Goals
84
Assists
112
International Caps
83
Trophies
7
4Gavi
Age for 100th appearance: 18 years 7 months
If not for injury troubles, La Masia graduate Gavi may have reached the 100-game milestone even sooner. Unfortunately, fitness issues have kept him from pushing his profession to the next level. Whether it’s a series of minor knocks or a cruciate ligament damage that kept him out for nearly a year, Gavi has had little luck with the injury bug.
Despite being only 20, the midfielder remains one of Europe’s most promising young players. However, his inconsistent fitness has forced him to make only occasional appearances under Hansi Flick.
Gavi’s Career Statistics
Games
158
Goals
14
Assists
17
International Caps
27
Trophies
4
5Celestine Babayaro
Age for 100th appearance: 18 years 7 months
If this list has taught you anything, it’s to go play for Anderlecht if you’re a young player looking to get as many minutes as possible. Celestine Babayaro is the Belgian giants’ third appearance on this list among the first five.
The Nigerian left-back came through the ranks after joining Plateau United and proving himself in European football before joining Chelsea in 1997. His time at Stamford Bridge would endure just about eight years before he joined Newcastle. By January 2008, Babayaro was playing for the LA Galaxy alongside David Beckham, but he retired two months later.
Celestine Babayaro’s Career Statistics
Games
400
Goals
22
Assists
17
International Caps
35
Trophies
7
6Warren Zaire-Emery
Age for 100th appearance: 18 years 9 months
Warren Zaire-Emery bears a significant amount of responsibility. PSG is hurting off the pitch now that superstars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe have left the club. The young midfielder, for example, is responsible for ensuring that the same thing does not happen on the pitch.
The teenager was a member of France’s Euro 2024 squad and has continued to impress in the French capital. A well-rounded midfielder, his pairing with Joao Neves has the potential to be one of the greatest in Europe if they continue to develop.
Warren Zaire-Emery’s Career Statistics
Games
111
Goals
8
Assists
8
International Caps
6
Trophies
5
7Norman Whiteside
Age for 100th appearance: 18 years 9 months
Since 1970, only two players under the age of 17 have appeared for Manchester United’s first team. One of them is Norman Whiteside. Prior to the class of 1992, the young Irishman was the talk of Old Trafford, with many feeling he had a bright future ahead of him.
The highlight of his career came when he scored the winning goal in the 1985 FA Cup final against Everton, a team he would eventually join. Surprisingly, Whiteside would retire while still in his twenties due to a knee ailment that prevented him from playing any longer. Despite his short career, the attacking midfielder broke multiple records as a result of his early breakout, including becoming the youngest player to score in a League Cup and FA Cup final, as well as the youngest player to appear in a FIFA World Cup.
Norman Whiteside’s Career Statistics
Games
334
Goals
85
Assists
8
International Caps
38
Trophies
2
