Arsenal Insider has taken a look at the all-time youngest Arsenal goalscorers, with the Gunners rarely afraid to give youth a chance in their first-team fold in north London.
The Emirates Stadium natives have always prided themselves on giving their up-and-coming prospects a chance. Arsenal academy graduates especially prospered under Arsene Wenger through to Unai Emery awarding Bukayo Saka his senior debut in the Europa League in 2018.
Mikel Arteta has also continued Arsenal’s principles of trusting in youth as the Gunners often name some of the youngest XIs in the Premier League. Arsenal even fielded the 20 youngest XIs across the top-flight during the 2021/22 season, ranging from just 23.8 to 24.7 years old.
Given Arsenal’s storied history, even more modern-day talents like Serge Gnabry and Gabriel Martinelli miss out on ranking among the Gunners’ top 10 youngest goalscorers of all time…
If they were never injured, who would’ve had the better career at Arsenal – Abou Diaby or Jack Wilshere?
10) Jon Sammels
- Age: 17 years, 10 months, four days
- Match: Blackpool 3-2 Arsenal, First Division
- Date: April 27, 1963
Known for his precise passing and excellent shooting skills, Jon Sammels became one of Arsenal’s youngest goalscorers ever when he scored on his first-team debut against Blackpool in April 1963.
While his goal could not help Arsenal prevent a 3-2 defeat, Sammels made an instant mark from their midfield. His ever-improving talent in the years that followed even saw the Englishman take Arsenal’s playmaking duty off George Eastham.
Sammels also delighted Highbury in November 1965 when he scored twice against Brazil, who were missing Pele plus his fellow Santos teammates.
While scoring the goal that saw the Gunners win the 1970 Fairs Cup further cemented Sammels’ legacy after seeing Arsenal turn a 3-1 first-leg deficit into a 4-3 aggregate win over RSC Anderlecht.
=9) Aaron Ramsey
- Age: 17 years, nine months, 25 days
- Match: Fenerbahce 2-5 Arsenal, Champions League
- Date: October 21, 2008
After rejecting a transfer from Cardiff City to Manchester United thanks to the work Wenger put in to seal his signing in 2008, Aaron Ramsey became one of Arsenal’s all-time youngest goalscorers. He even set the tone for what was to come away to Fenerbache aged 17.
Ramsey helped Arsenal secure an emphatic 5-2 win away to the Super Lig giants in the Champions League with a long-range strike. It later became a trademark aspect of the Welshman’s game to find the back of the net from outside of the area.
But it was from just inside the box at Wembley in May 2014 that Ramsey scored the most important goal of his Arsenal career. The midfielder ghosted into the area in the 109th minute to meet Oliver Giroud’s cutback and drill home.
His goal secured Arsenal a 3-2 win over Hull City in the 2014 FA Cup final and ended the club’s nine-year wait for a major trophy. But he later left north London for Juventus as a free agent in 2018 after Emery pulled the plug on a contract Ramsey was expected to sign.
=9) Reg Lewis
- Age: 17 years, nine months, 25 days
- Match: Arsenal 2-1 Everton, First Division
- Date: January 1, 1938
Reg Lewis joined Arsenal as an amateur prospect after impressing with Margate at the age of 15, before turning professional just two years later.
His first-team debut even came on New Year’s Day as Arsenal kicked off 1938 with a 2-1 win at home to Everton. Lewis even got on the scoresheet at Highbury to hand boss George Allison the three points after George Hunt fired home their first.
If it was not for the outbreak of the Second World War soon after, Lewis may well have gone on to become Arsenal’s greatest-ever goalscorer. His pre- and post-war efforts saw the forward bag 118 goals in 176 senior, competitive games for the Gunners.
8) Cliff Bastin
- Age: 17 years, nine months, 21 days
- Match: Arsenal 2-3 Sheffield Wednesday, First Division
- Date: January 4, 1930
Arsenal had arguably one of the English game’s greatest-ever overlooked players on their books for 18 years with Cliff Bastin. The Gunners also have their iconic manager, Herbert Chapman, to thank for discovering the Exeter City product.
His heyday being the 1930s means fans can sometimes forget what the left-winger gave the Gunners. But only Thierry Henry (228) and Ian Wright (185) have ever scored more goals for Arsenal than Bastin with 178 in 396 games.
Bastin even broke through to become one of Arsenal’s youngest goalscorers of all time when he found the back of the net against Sheffield Wednesday in January 1930. The forward hit home at just 17 years, nine months and 21 days but could not avoid a 3-2 defeat.
Calmness and precision in front of the goal were also hallmarks of Bastin’s style and see that Arsenal fans recall his brilliance with respect. Gunners supporters even voted the player they nicked ‘Boy’ due to his youthful appearance as the club’s 18th-best player ever in 2008.
Glory came early for Bastin at Highbury, too, after winning the FA Cup in his first senior season before helping Arsenal lift the Division One title in the following term. By the age of only 19, he had even also earned the first of his 21 England caps.
Ultimately, Bastin called time on his decorated career with Arsenal in 1947 with five Division One titles plus two FA Cup winners’ medals to his name. It then took 50 years before Wright surpassed Bastin as Arsenal’s at-the-time record goalscorer in September 1997.
7) George Armstrong
- Age: 17 years, eight months, 22 days
- Match: Arsenal 2-3 Everton, First Division
- Date: May 1, 1962
In an Arsenal career that spanned over 15 years, fans came to affectionately know George Armstrong as ‘Geordie’ as he racked up 621 appearances for the club. His tally is only bettered by David O’Leary (722) and Tony Adams (669), as well.
Armstrong excelled in crossing from both wings and scored his first Arsenal goal 100 days before his 18th birthday in a 3-2 defeat to Everton.
He eventually left Arsenal for Leicester City in 1977 but soon enough returned to north London as part of the club’s reserve team coaching staff.
George Graham, who was a teammate to Armstrong before later becoming Arsenal’s manager, could only thank the winger for his help at Highbury, too.
Reflecting on their on-field partnership, Graham once noted about Armstrong: “He was such a thorough professional and a great help to me at Arsenal. As soon as I knew he was available, I jumped at the chance to bring him back.”
6) Tom Meade
- Age: 17 years, seven months, 29 days
- Match: Arsenal 3-2 Newcastle United, Second Division
- Date: January 12, 1895
Not long after Arsenal were founded in 1886, Tom Meade became one of the club’s all-time youngest goalscorers. He even found the back of the net to help secure a 3-2 win against Newcastle United just a week after his debut in January 1895.
The centre-forward’s goal even saw Meade hold the record as Arsenal’s youngest goalscorer for an astonishing 86 years. But during his time at the club, Meade struggled to make a huge impact on the side thereafter.
In total, Meade only enjoyed 11 league appearances and scored five goals for Arsenal. He later made the controversial move to north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 1897, before becoming a hero in his time at Fulham.
5) Ethan Nwaneri
- Age: 17 years, four months, 188 days
- Match: Arsenal 5-1 Bolton, League Cup
- Date: 25 September, 2024
One of the best young players on the books at Arsenal right now, Ethan Nwaneri has managed to have an impact at the Emirates Stadium very early in his senior footballing career.
The young wide midfielder has put in some simply sublime performances, despite limited game time, in recent seasons. One of his best came against Bolton back in September 2024, when he scored his maiden Arsenal goal.
He’s certainly one to watch for the future.
4) Arturo Lupoli
- Age: 17 years, four months, 16 days
- Match: Arsenal 3-1 Everton, League Cup
- Date: November 9, 2004
He never became a household name during the striker’s time in north London but Arturo Lupoli made a small bit of history as one of Arsenal’s all-time youngest goalscorers.
Lupoli joined the Gunners’ academy from Parma’s Under-17 side in 2003 after scoring an astonishing 45 goals in just 22 youth games. Arsenal even paid £200k in training compensation to secure his arrival on scholarship terms.
The Italian’s first goals for the club then came in only his second appearance. As a 17-year-old gem, Lupoli burst out of the gates by scoring a brace as Arsenal beat Everton 3-1 in a League Cup fourth-round tie.
However, his career at Arsenal did not continue on the same trajectory and Lupoli ended up joining ACF Fiorentina in 2007. The forward departed north London with just three goals to his name in a mere nine appearances under Wenger.
Looking back on his time at Arsenal, Lupoli told The Independent in 2009: “People expect a lot when you score twice in your first game. They think you can always score [and] always play well. But they need to remember that you are only 17.
“Some players, like [Cesc] Fabregas and maybe [Abou] Diaby, Alexander Song [and] Gael Clichy, they are ready at that age. Maybe I was not ready. But it is no problem because everybody breaks through in his own time. Sooner or later – it does not really matter.”
3) Stewart Robson
- Age: 17 years, four months, seven days
- Match: Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich Town, First Division
- Date: March 13, 1982
Stewart Robson is the third youngest-ever Arsenal goalscorer after making his mark at just 17 years, four months and seven days old.
Also a talented cricket player in his youth, the midfielder made his breakthrough at Arsenal under Terry Neill. Robson even enjoyed his senior debut just a month after his 17th birthday.
His first Arsenal goal came a few months later against Ipswich Town in a 1-0 win, assisted by Alan Sunderland. Robson spent over six years in the Arsenal first-team after graduating from the academy, playing 186 matches and scoring 21 goals.
The England international also won the Arsenal Player of the Year award in 1985 before moving to West Ham United for £700,000 just two years later.
2) Jack Wilshere
- Age: 16 years, eight months, 22 days
- Match: Arsenal 6-0 Sheffield United, League Cup
- Date: September 9, 2008
Jack Wilshere was one of the most exciting young talents to come through the Arsenal academy in the modern era. Coaches at Hale End moulded his development around that of Fabregas, who took a similar path to make his mark on the Gunners’ first-team.
Fabregas even saw one of his records fall to Wilshere, who became Arsenal’s youngest-ever league debutant against Blackburn Rovers at just 16 years and 256 days old.
Just 10 days later, Wenger fielded a team with an average age of 19 and saw Wilshere score his first goal for the club, too, as Arsenal thrashed Sheffield United 6-0 in a League Cup third-round tie.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2009, Wenger even suggested that a young Wilshere reminded him of Wayne Rooney. But frequent injuries blocked the midfielder’s path to greatness before turning his hand to coaching with Arsenal’s academy.
“He reminds me a bit of Rooney when he started, in his belief and in his positive attitude to go forward,”. Wenger said. “[He] still has a lot to learn, team-wise and in his relationship with other players, but there are some great basics there.
“You do not want him to be a star before he has delivered, though, and managing expectation levels is harder here than anywhere else.”
Wilshere went on to captain Arsenal many times but, ultimately, injuries got in the way before he eventually left the club. Following a spell on loan with AFC Bournemouth, Wilshere headed across the capital to join West Ham in 2018.
1) Cesc Fabregas
- Age: 16 years, six months, 28 days
- Match: Arsenal 5-1 Wolves, League Cup
- Date: December 2, 2003
Fabregas became the youngest player to ever score for Arsenal when the midfielder hit home in a 5-1 win against Wolves in the League Cup back in December 2003.
The Spaniard started the last-16 affair at Highbury and hit home in the 88th minute to wrap up the scoring shortly after the Old Gold replied.
Joined by former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira in midfield, it was the start of something special for the 16-year-old after Fabregas joined as a youth prospect from FC Barcelona.
Fabregas had only made his debut for Arsenal in the same competition against Rotherham United a few months earlier, as well, to break Jermaine Pennant’s record.
Reminiscing on becoming Arsenal’s youngest-ever goalscorer in an interview with Marca almost 20 years later, Fabregas spoke of the madness of the occasion.
“I have spectacular feelings about that day,” he said. “I didn’t know what was going on. Two hours before, Wenger told me. My parents had come by surprise because the club had notified them.
“After the game, everyone congratulated me and I went to have a quick dinner with my parents. Then, I went to the Lady’s house where I lived, eating a Kinder Bueno. It was incredible.”
Famously, Fabregas – who went on to become the captain of Arsenal – would leave N5 and return to Barcelona in the summer of 2011 for a fee of up to £35m.
The midfielder also later went on to join Premier League rivals Chelsea before becoming a successful coach with his final club, Italian side Como 1907.
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