Even though they lost to Newcastle 3-0, effectively condemning them to relegation, Leicester City made Premier League history on Monday night. Ruud van Nistelrooy made Jeremy Monga, then 15 years old, the second-youngest player to ever participate in the competition when he opted to give him a debut when the game was all but gone.
Despite falling 90 days short of Ethan Nwaneri’s record, the England youth star, who has been drawing interest from some of the biggest clubs in both England and Europe, was not the main topic of conversation during his appearance. The reason why Monga was wearing a kit with no shirt sponsor on the front has recently been made public.
Monga’s Leicester City Kit Explained
The 15-year-old was not allowed to sport Leicester’s shirt sponsor
BC.GAME, a cryptocurrency gaming company, is the sponsor of Leicester’s home shirt. However, the England Under-16 winger was not allowed to wear it once the Gambling Act 2005 was updated in 2020. These rules, which prohibit players under the age of 18 from wearing uniforms with gambling-related sponsors, are enforced by the Premier League.
If they stay on the front of the Foxes shirt, Monga, who won’t turn sixteen until July, would not be permitted to represent the sponsor for the following two whole seasons. Naturally, the young athlete is not the only one who has had to play without a sponsor this season; Chelsea’s top players have also been without one for the whole campaign after failing to sign a contract.
Van Nistelrooy Praises Monga After Debut
The Dutchman has tipped the starlet for a bright future
Monga had some promising moments in his debut, getting involved and trying to pose a more direct danger, but he was unable to change the outcome of the match. After the final whistle, his manager was gushing about the young player and backed him to have more playing time soon.
“You saw a peek of his admirable traits. Van Nistelrooy told the BBC, “He’s a great winger and has speed.” “He’s a wonderful youngster with a remarkable talent. He deserved to be given these minutes and, ideally, more.
In addition to making three appearances in the Football League Trophy this season, Monga has mostly played for Leicester’s Under-18 and Under-23 teams. Additionally, he played in the FA Youth Cup third round, which the Foxes lost to Chelsea.
During the Foxes’ 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round loss to Manchester United in February, the teenager was listed as an unutilised replacement.
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