Lagos-born AS Monaco forward George Ilenikhena has made UEFA Champions League history by becoming the youngest African player to reach 15 appearances in the competition, surpassing a record previously held by former Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Ilenikhena achieved the milestone at the age of 19 years and 157 days following his 18-minute appearance for Monaco in their 6-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday.
“George Ilenikhena makes history. Youngest African player to reach 15 UCL games,” UEFA announced on Wednesday.
Kanu’s long-standing mark was set when the two-time African Footballer of the Year reached the milestone at 19 years and 260 days old on April 17, 1996. It came during the semi-final first-leg tie against Greek side Panathinaikos, in which Kanu scored as Ajax secured a 3-0 victory to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat. Ajax, however, went on to lose the final 5-3 on penalties to Juventus.
Now 49, Kanu went on to score five goals and register 13 assists in 60 Champions League appearances. He also won the competition with Ajax in the 1994/95 season.
Ilenikhena was born in Lagos on August 16, 2006, and relocated to France at the age of three.
He progressed through the French youth football system before beginning his professional career with Amiens SC.
His performances at youth level and in Ligue 2 attracted attention, leading to a move to Royal Antwerp in 2023, where he made his Champions League debut and scored a notable 92nd-minute winning goal against Barcelona on December 13, 2023.
The striker featured for just 11 minutes in that 3-2 victory for his former club.
In July 2024, the forward completed a transfer to AS Monaco and has since featured regularly in both domestic and European competitions.
During this period, he also became Monaco’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League, breaking a club record previously held by Kylian Mbappé.
This season, Ilenikhena has featured in 14 Ligue 1 matches, scoring two goals.
At 19, the striker is yet to commit his international future, although he has represented France at youth level, having been selected for the U-16 team in 2021.
