Amad Diallo made a stunning impression off the bench for Manchester United against AC Milan on Thursday, becoming the club’s youngest-ever non-British goalscorer in Europe.
Brought on for Anthony Martial at half-time, the £37 million ($50m) signing timed his run perfectly before flicking a backwards header over the goalkeeper from Bruno Fernandes’ ball forward.
At 18 years and 243 days old, Diallo set a new United record for overseas imports, with only three players having achieved his feat at a younger age.
Diallo’s goal came in his third appearance for United, after making his debut in the 4-0 thrashing of Real Sociedad in the Europa League last month. It was also his very first shot for the club, though it didn’t prove the winner as Simon Kjaer headed in a late equaliser – and an away goal – from a stoppage-time corner.
Mason Greenwood is the youngest player to have scored for United in major European competition, after finding the net on debut against Astana at the age of 17 years and 353 days.
Marcus Rashford had held the record since making his debut three and a half years earlier, scoring a brace on his debut against Anderlecht aged 18 years and 177 days.
The record has now been broken three times in five years but prior to that, it had remained since the 1960s, when the great George Best scored his first European goal at the age of 18 years and 158 days.
