Warren Zaïre-Emery made history on Tuesday, becoming the youngest player to ever start a Champions League knockout game.
The PSG midfielder started his side’s last-16 first leg at home against Bayern Munich, setting the record at 16 years, 343 days.
PSG also started Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos in the same game, both of whom had already made their Champions League debuts when Zaïre-Emery was born on March 8, 2006.
Zaïre-Emery has been setting records all season, becoming the youngest player to make his Ligue 1 debut for PSG at 16 years, four months and 29 days when he came off the bench in the team’s Ligue 1 opener in August.
He also set the record for the youngest PSG starter in Ligue 1 when he was named in the team against Rennes in January.
The teenager then became the youngest goalscorer in the history of PSG when he scored against Montpellier this month.
16y & 343d – Warren Zaïre-Emery is, at 16 years and 343 days, the youngest player ever to start an UEFA Champions League knockout stage game in history. Audacious. #PSGFCB pic.twitter.com/T3lgqjo8Eh
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) February 14, 2023
ESPN FC recounted a story Vitinha told his agent Jorge Mendes upon arriving at the club last summer.
“Who is this kid that you got in your team? He is an alien!” he said after training with Zaïre-Emery, who is also represented by Mendes.
The PSG academy product has now made 15 appearances for the first team this season. He has also represented France at various youth levels, most recently featuring with the U-19s.
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