Liverpool secured a 4-1 against Athletic Bilbao during a pre-season friendly match on 4 August 2025.
16-year-old Rio Ngumoha scored two minutes into his unofficial debut at Anfield.
Rio Ngumoha finished the match with a goal and an assist, earning adulation from the home supporters.
Rio Ngumoha was the star of the show during Liverpool’s pre-season friendly match against Athletic Bilbao at Anfield on Monday, 4 August 2025. The 16-year-old forward announced himself to the footballing world, scoring two minutes into his unofficial debut at Anfield. Ngumoha ended the match with a goal and an assist, helping the Reds seal a 4-1 win.
Arne Slot fielded a heavily rotated team during Liverpool’s match against Athletic Bilbao. Ngumoha had started the match on the left wing, and the youngster made his mark in front of the home support soon after kick-off.
Receiving a loose ball in the Liverpool half, Ngumoha raced ahead with the ball, skipping past the Bilbao defenders before curling the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box. That wasn’t the end of his contribution, as just three minutes later, he flicked Ben Doak’s cross on for Darwin Nunez to finish from close range.
The youngster continued to torment the visitors with his pace and skills, showing maturity rarely seen among Liverpool youngsters since the days of Raheem Sterling. When Slot withdrew Ngumoha midway through the second half, he received a standing ovation from the Kop faithful, who sang his name.
Rio Ngumoha: Life And Career So Far
Rio Ngumoha was born in August 2008 in the London Borough of Newham to Nigerian parents. The attacker spent eight years at Chelsea’s academy, where he won the U17 Premier League Cup, scoring in the final.
Ngumoha then made the switch to Liverpool, and immediately caught the eyes of the coaches at Anfield. The youngster made his first Liverpool senior start in an FA Cup fixture against Accrington Stanley in January 2025, becoming the Reds’ second-youngest starter aged 16 years and 135 days.
His rapid rise was cemented by Slot’s decision to call him up for Liverpool’s pre-season tour. The youngster showed that he belonged among the big boys by finding the back of the net during the friendly match against Yokohama F. Marinos, and he continued that pre-season form against Athletic Bilbao.
On the international stage, Ngumoha has represented England at U15, U16, and U17 levels and was part of the squad for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship 2025. However, the youngster is also eligible to represent Nigeria, the country of his parents, internationally.
With the tragic passing away of Diogo Jota and the transfer of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, fans can expect to see the youngster make his English Premier League debut next season.
