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SPORTS
International Football - FIFA World Cup
Youngest Players
This list features the youngest players to play professionally in the history of the FIFA World Cup.
RANK | PLAYERS | NATION | AGE | YEAR |
1 | Norman Whiteside | Northern Ireland | 17 years, 41 days | 1982 |
2 | Samuel Eto’o | Cameroon | 17 years, 98 days | 1998 |
3 | Femi Opabunmi | Nigeria | 17 years, 100 days | 2002 |
4 | Salomon Olembe | Cameroon | 17 years, 184 days | 1998 |
5 | Pelé | Brazil | 17 years, 234 days | 1958 |
6 | Bartholomew Ogbeche | Nigeria | 17 years, 244 days | 2002 |
7 | Rigobert Song | Cameroon | 17 years, 353 days | 1994 |
8 | Carvalho Leite | Brazil | 18 years, 25 days | 1930 |
9 | Garang Kuol | Australia | 18 years, 68 days | 2022 |
10 | Manuel Rosas | Mexico | 18 years, 87 days | 1930 |
References
Topend Sports. (n.d.). “FIFA World Cup – Youngest players”. Available at: https://www.topendsports.com/events/worldcupsoccer/age-youngest.htm (Accessed 1 December 2025).
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