Monaco’s Nigerian forward, Ilenikhena breaks Kanu’s UCL record

Nigerian forward George Ilenikhena has etched his name into UEFA Champions League history after becoming the youngest African player to make 15 appearances in the competition.

The 19-year-old surpassed the long-standing record held by former Super Eagles star Nwankwo Kanu. UEFA confirmed that Ilenikhena reached the milestone at 19 years and 157 days, bettering Kanu’s previous mark of 19 years and 260 days.

Ilenikhena is now among the youngest players overall to hit the 15-appearance mark in Europe’s elite club competition.

Born on August 16, 2006, Ilenikhena relocated to France at the age of three, where he progressed through the country’s youth football system. He began his professional career with Amiens SC, impressing at youth level and in Ligue 2.

His performances earned him a move to Belgian side Royal Antwerp in 2023. It was there that he made his UEFA Champions League debut and announced himself on the European stage, scoring a dramatic 92nd-minute winner against FC Barcelona while still a teenager.

In July 2024, Ilenikhena completed a transfer to AS Monaco. Since arriving at the Ligue 1 club, he has continued to feature regularly in domestic and European competitions.

He also set another landmark at Monaco by becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League, overtaking a record previously held by Kylian Mbappé.

The record he broke was set by Kanu during his time at Ajax in the mid-1990s. Kanu went on to enjoy a decorated career that included winning the UEFA Champions League, and his mark as the youngest African player to reach 15 appearances in the competition had stood for decades before Ilenikhena’s breakthrough.

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