George Ilenikhena has set a new record in the UEFA Champions League by becoming the youngest African player to make 15 appearances in the competition, Afrosport reports.
He set the record in AS Monaco’s heavy 6-1 defeat to Spanish giants Real Madrid on Thursday at 19 years and 157 years.
Kanu set the previous at 19 years and 260 years when he featured for Ajax Amsterdam in the 1990s, winning the Champions League with future stars such as Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, Frank de Boer and compatriot Finidi George.
George Ilenikhena makes history 🇳🇬#UCL pic.twitter.com/a2hKaAdD7D
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 21, 2026
Ilenikhena made headlines when he scored a late winner for Royal Antwerp in a 3-2 win over Barcelona in December 2023.
He joined Monaco the season after and set a new record by becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer in the Champions League at 18 years and 34 days old, in a 2-1 also against Barcelona, surpassing Kylian Mbappe’s record at 18 years and 63 days in the 5-3 defeat to Manchester City in February 2017.
Ilenikhena has featured 19 times this season for Monaco in all competitions, scoring four goals.
