Hat tricks are one of the toughest and most exciting things in football. To score thrice in a single match is not only hard but also one of the rarest things as well. However, some players have made it look so easy.

Today, in this article, we will talk about the top ten players with most hat tricks in football in the 21st century.

But before that, let me answer the question that you have in your mind. I know that you want to know who has scored the most hat-tricks in football history.

Who has scored the most hat-tricks in football history?

Now that's a very tricky question to answer because there is a lack of proof with the data of football score lines from the past.

As per Guinness World Records, the Brazilian legend Pele has scored the most hat-tricks in football history. The former striker scored as many as 92 hat tricks in his career, with seven of them being for Brazil. However, since Pele never played in Europe, there is no exact data or proof to support the answer. Most of Pele's hat-tricks came in unofficial and friendlies as well.

Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

Now, to list the top ten players with most hat tricks in football in the 21st century, there will be no confusion, because we have the proof and the data to support our list. This data not only validates but also proves why keeping the record of every football stat is important.

With this list, you will know how the 21st century has been dominated by two of the greatest footballers in history.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored twice as many hat tricks as the 3rd player on the list has achieved.

Here is the full list of the top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century.

12. Sergio Aguero | 18 hat-tricks

The former Manchester City and Argentina legend is one of the greatest strikers of this century. Sergio Aguero finished his career as one of the highest scorers in Premier League history with 180 goals for Manchester City in the league.

With 18 hat tricks to his name, including his club and international career, Aguero is the player with the 12th most hat-tricks in the 21st century.

Not surprisingly, twelve of his 18 hat tricks came for Manchester City, most in the Premier League. However, Aguero only scored one hat-trick for Argentina in his international career.

The former striker scored more than four goals three times in his career, all in the Premier League. 

11. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | 18

Now, this name can come as a surprise to many Gen-Z football followers. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the former Dutch and Ajax centre-forward, scored 18 hat-tricks in his stunning football career.

Although three of his 18 hat-tricks came in the second division of the Dutch League, they are considered official hat-tricks.

Huntelaar scored seven hat-tricks for Ajax and eight for German club FC Schalke. He could only score one international hat-trick for the Netherlands.

Huntelaar scored 366 goals in his career and also featured for clubs like Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Read Also | European treble winners in men's football history

#10. Mario Gomez | 18

The former German striker is one of the most underrated players of his generation. Over his entire career, Mario Gomez scored 333 goals in 610 games for teams like FC Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart and Fiorentina.

The one-time Champions League and three-time Bundesliga winner scored 18 hat-tricks in his career.

12 of his hat-tricks came for FC Bayern Munich, while four came for Stuttgart and one each for Wolfsburg and Germany.

#9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 20

One of the most acrobatic and threatening strikers of the modern era, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the highest scorers of the 21st century.

The Swedish legend is perhaps one of the greatest players to never win the UEFA Champions League despite playing for teams like FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United, PSG and Juventus.

Read Also | Players with most Champions League finals without winning it ever

Zlatan scored 20 hat-tricks in his career, among which half were for PSG. He scored four hat-tricks for his country, Sweden.

#8 Neymar | 21

The Brazilian modern-day great, Neymar, is one of the most loved and eye-catching footballers of the 21st century. Neymar is Brazil's highest goal scorer ever, with 79 goals in 120 matches.

The attacking midfielder made his name with Brazilian club Santos and then went on to conquer Europe with FC Barcelona and PSG before joining Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Four of his 21 hat tricks came for Brazil, which is the second most for the five-time world champion nation. He scored four hat tricks each for FC Barcelona and PSG, while scoring eight hat tricks for his home club, Santos. 

#7 Kylian Mbappe | 22

Now here comes the new generation superstar. Kylian Mbappe has already broken multiple football records in his short career for AS Monaco, PSG, Real Madrid and France.

One of the youngest goal scorers in FIFA World Cup history and one of the youngest ever to score in a World Cup final, Kylian Mbappe is indeed made for greatness.

Read Also | Most Valuable Football Players In 2025: Who is Worth the Big Bucks?

Mbappe has already scored 22 hat-tricks in his career, which include one in the famous FIFA World Cup 2022 final as well. The youngster, who is often compared with Cristiano Ronaldo, has scored 14 hat-tricks for PSG and three for France. The rest came for AS Monaco (2) and Real Madrid (3).

#6 Erling Haaland | 25

Norwegian Erling Haaland is a beast when it comes to scoring goals within the 'D box'. He would always see him at the right place at the right time, scoring some great acrobatic goals.

Haaland rose to fame with German club Borussia Dortmund and then unleashed his absolute best for Premier League club Manchester City. In his first season in the Premier League, he broke the record for the most goals in a season in the tournament (36).

In 329 matches, he has scored 24 hat-tricks and can only get better from here on. 11 of his hat-tricks came for Manchester City, among which 8 came in the Premier League, in only two seasons. 

Read Also | Football facts: Son-father footballer duo to play for national teams

#5 Harry Kane | 27

Harry Kane is the only English player on our list of the top 12 players with most hat tricks in football in 21st century. With 27 hat tricks in his career till now, Harry Kane is fifth on our list currently.

Read Also | Harry Kane becomes the fastest footballer to score 50 Bundesliga goals

The Tottenham Hotspur legend, who left Premier League with the second most goals in the competition's history, is now breaking records in the Bundesliga as well.

Kane scored 14 hat-tricks for Spurs and has already scored 8 hat-tricks for FC Bayern Munich in just two seasons.

Read Also | Last 10 European Golden Shoe winners List

#4 Luis Suarez | 30

Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez, who dominated European football first for Ajax and Liverpool and then for FC Barcelona, creating the famous M-S-N trio with Lionel Messi and Neymar, scored 30 hat-tricks in his career.

Suarez is currently playing for Inter Miami and has scored 505 goals so far in his career, among which 69 came for Uruguay. 

Twelve of his total 30 career hat-tricks came for FC Barcelona and 9 for Ajax during his early days.

Read Also | MSN vs BBC: Rivalry of football's greatest trio in stats

#3 Robert Lewandowski | 34

If we do not count Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski of Poland has been the greatest footballer of this generation. It is harsh that he always gets compared to those two and has not recieve the appreciation he should get.

He was even unlucky not to win the 2020 Ballon d'Or, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Apart from Messi and Cristiano, he is the only player to score over 100 Champions League goals.

Read Also | Highest scoring footballers of the 21st century

Lewandowski scored 34 hat-tricks in his career so far, and 20 of them came for FC Bayern Munich, where he won 8 Bundesliga and one Champions League titles. With 6 UCL hat-tricks, he is the player with the second most hat-tricks in the competition's history, only behind Lionel Messi. 

#2 Lionel Messi | 59

Now you will have to bear with me a bit because the list will get bigger.

Lionel Messi, who has won the most trophies in football history, won the most Ballon d'Or awards, scored the second most four or more goals in football (8), and also has the record for most goal contributions in football history, scoring 59 hat-tricks in his career so far.

Messi also has the record of scoring the most La Liga (36) hat-tricks, which is more than other player's whole career.

The Argentine has scored 48 hat-tricks for FC Barcelona, which is also a record. Messi till now has scored 10 international hat-tricks, the most for Argentina and joint-most in international football history.

Moreover, out of Messi's 59 hat-tricks, only 12 included a penalty, which makes him the player with the most non-penalty hat-tricks as well. 

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo | 66

Here comes the greatest goal scorer in football history, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend has scored the most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century. And, if you do not count the unverified record for Pele, he has the most hat-tricks in football history.

Most goals in club history, most goals in international football, most Champions League goals, joint-most Champions League hat-tricks (10), most league hat-tricks (45) - these are a few of the records set by the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star.

Ronaldo, till now, has scored 66 career hat-tricks, among which 44 came for Real Madrid, a record for the Los Blancos. Moreover, he has scored four or more goals in a game a record 11 times, scoring 4 goals in a game nine times and 5 goals twice.

However, compared with Lionel Messi, 29 of Ronaldo's 66 career hat-tricks included a penalty.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE blog coverage of the highly anticipated La Liga clash between Levante and FC Barcelona for the 2025-26 season.

I’m Barnali Debnath, bringing you minute-by-minute updates, expert commentary, and all the latest news from this exciting encounter.

Both teams are eager to make a strong statement early in the campaign, with Levante aiming to leverage their home advantage and Barcelona looking to assert their dominance with their star-studded lineup.

Stay tuned here for live scores, tactical insights, key moments, and post-match analysis as the drama unfolds on the pitch.

Whether you’re a die-hard supporter or a neutral fan, this is your go-to spot for comprehensive coverage of Levante vs FC Barcelona!

As the most popular sport, football is watched and played by people all over the country, ranging from professional leagues, to youth teams, and even families in their yards. But how much do you really know about your favourite footballers? Do you know many famous footballers actually don't use their real names in their professional careers?

Many footballers' real names are distinctly different from what are effectively stage names they use for their professional careers. Many figures even choose to go by relatively shorter names to make it easier for people all over the world to remember them by.

Let’s go ahead and dive into some real names of famous footballers you probably don't know.

Also Read: 15 football records that might ever be broken

Real Names of Famous Footballers

1. Dele Alli

• Real Name- Bamidele Jermaine Alli

Dele Alli's full name is Bamidele Jermaine Alli. He does not use his full name professionally and instead goes by "Dele Alli". Dele Alli used to be a big name in the round leather game some years back. When he was 20, he was already considered as English football’s biggest rising star.

2. Raphinha

• Real Name- Raphael Dias Belloli

Raphinha's full name is 'Raphael Dias Belloli'. He does not use his full name professionally and instead goes by Raphinha. Raphinha is known for his skills in dribbling, pace, and creativity on the field. He currently plays as a winger for Leeds United in the English Premier League.

3. Moises Caicedo

• Real Name- Moisés Isaac Caicedo Corozo

Caicedo's real name is  'Moisés Isaac Caicedo Corozo'. He is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for the English club Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion and for the national team of Ecuador. He is a versatile player with ability to control the tempo of the game.

4. Cole Palmer

• Real Name- Cole Jermaine Palmer

Cole Palmer's full name is 'Cole Jermaine Palmer'. He is regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. The English footballer plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team.

Also Read: Most International Goals by Active Players (2025)

5. Kaka

• Real Name- Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite

Kaka is arguably one of the defining footballers of his generation. The Brazilian was the last player to win a Ballon d'Or before the decade-long duopoly between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kaka has several major honours to his name, including a FIFA World Cup, a UEFA Champions League, and an endless list of individual awards.

6. Van Gaal

• Real Name- Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal

Van Gaal's full name is Aloysius Paulus Maria 'Louis' van Gaal. To some, He's one of the best managers of the past two decades, willing to sacrifice style for substance and flair for formality. To others, he’s an unnerving disciplinarian, an expert at alienating his players and fans. Whatever side of the fence you fall, few will doubt that Louis van Gaal is one of the most pragmatic managers in the modern game.

7. Fikayo Tomori

• Real Name- Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola Tomori

Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola "Fikayo" Tomori is an English professional footballer known for his defensive skill as a center-back, currently playing for Serie A club AC Milan and the England national team.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo

• Real Name- Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Cristiano Ronaldo aka Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is still plying his trade in the professional game for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. However, he is already considered one of the greatest players of all time. Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards in his illustrious career, which is a record only bettered by a certain Argentine forward.

Also Read: 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World [2025]

9. Bukayo Saka

• Real Name- Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka

Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team. He is often hailed as one of the greatest football players in the world. 

10. Lamine Yamal

• Real Name- Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana, also known as Lamine Yamal, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. 

11. Pepe

• Real Name- Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira

Former Real Madrid star Pepe is quite commonly regarded as one of the best and most aggressive defenders of his time. The centre-back is still playing European football at the age of 38, and put in a string of magnificent displays in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League. The Portuguese rolled back the years against Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus with a breathtaking showing to knock them out of the UCL.

Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's another LIVE blog. 

Tonight we have the Real Madrid vs Osasuna match in La Liga 2025/26 as the 36-time Spanish champions look for a perfect start to the season under new coach Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid, last season's runners-up in the league, did not have a great season overall under Carlo Ancelotti and will look for a fresh start this season. 

Read Also: Mallorca vs FC Barcelona, La Liga 2025/26 Highlights: Barcelona win by 3-0 against 9-men Mallorca

In the meantime, Osasuna missed Champions League qualification despite finishing well last season. They will hope for a top-five finish this season, and doing well against a team like Real Madrid will do wonders for them.

This is Barnali Debnath, who will bring you all the LIVE updates of the match, including the build and post-match analysis. So, stay tuned and enjoy the coverage. 

In 2025, some of the world’s top athletes are earning huge amounts of money through their sports, brand deals and businesses. These athletes come from football, basketball, golf and other popular games. Their earnings include salaries, match winnings and endorsements from big companies. Let’s take a look at the top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world and see how much they are earning.

Also Read: Women in Sports: Highest-paid women athletes in the world [2025]

10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World

10. Kevin Durant | $101.4M

Kevin Durant’s Suns may not have made the playoffs, but his financial game stayed elite. His total earnings combine a $51.4 million salary with $50 million in off-court earnings through Boardroom Media and investments in Paris Saint-Germain.

He even has a soon-to-debut Netflix docuseries. His tequila brand, real estate moves, and a collaboration with Fanatics round out a sharp portfolio.

9. Shohei Ohtani | $102.5M

Though his Dodgers salary is deferred, Shohei Ohtani still walked away with $2.5 million in earnings plus postseason bonuses. But the reason he made it to this top-earners list is his headlining brand power.

Out of the total $102.5 million, $100 million came from endorsement deals across Japan and the U.S. That includes New Balance, Seiko, Beats by Dre, and a record-breaking Topps trading card sale.

8. Karim Benzema | $104M

The first footballer to enter the top 10, and for the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, most of Karim Benzema's earnings have come from his hefty salary from his contract with Al-Ittihad, where he earns over $2 million a week, resulting in a $100 million annual salary. 

Sponsors like Adidas remain loyal, even as he embraces a quieter lifestyle far from the European spotlight. Rumors now swirl about a possible shift to Major League Soccer as the 2026 World Cup nears.

7. Juan Soto | $114M

Juan Soto shattered expectations after signing a jaw-dropping 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, even by baseball’s high-spending standards. His on-field take hit $109 million. And thanks to the buzz he generated, the Mets’ ticket sales surged following his signing. 

At just 26, Juan’s popularity and endorsements by the likes of Call of Duty and top Dominican brands have made him baseball’s financial poster boy, earning $114 million this year.

6. LeBron James | $133.8M

LeBron James has amassed $133.8M, appearing in the sixth position. After more than two decades in the NBA spotlight, LeBron is still making history, not just on the court but also in his bank account.

While his Lakers stint earned him $48.8 million in salary, the larger story is off-court. His production company, SpringHill, is scaling up through a major merger, and he inked a deal to become the first athlete turned Ken doll.

5. Lionel Messi | $135M

Although he is the second-highest paid soccer player, Lionel Messi only ranks as the fifth-highest paid athlete. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner brought home $135 million.

To millions of people, Messi will forever be soccer’s GOAT. Naturally, his arrival in Major League Soccer wasn’t a mere player acquisition for Inter Miami but a transformative event for the league’s global standing. While his $60 million salary is a substantial figure, his endorsements with Adidas and Apple, alongside his own Mas+ beverage, earn him even more, around $75 million.

Also Read: 20 Highest-Paid Footballers in Saudi Pro League History

4. Dak Prescott | $137M

Dak Prescott, American professional football quarterback who plays for the Dallas Cowboys, earns $137 million this year. This quarterback-turned-financial-play-caller knows how to read a market as well as a defense. 

First, Prescott made history with a contract structure that paid him $127 million in salary and bonuses within 12 months. Next were endorsements with Jordan Brand and Lowe’s that added another $10 million to his name. He’s also building a gym empire in Texas via Crunch Fitness partnerships.

3. Tyson Fury | $146M

Boxer Tyson Fury claimed third place with $146 million. Despite losing his world heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk in December, Fury's income has been boosted by partnerships promoting Maltese tourism and his Netflix reality show named “At Home With the Furys.”

2. Stephen Curry | $156M

Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry comes 2nd on the list of highest-paid athletes of the year, earning $156 million. Curry became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers in March this year. 

Of Curry's $156 million haul, $100 million comes from off-court dealings, including a major extension with Under Armour’s Curry Brand. He’s invested in everything from hydration startups to women’s basketball leagues. On the hardwood, he still drains threes while mentoring future stars at Davidson, where he now serves as an assistant GM.

Also Read: Most International Goals by Active Players (2025)

1. Cristiano Ronaldo | $275M

For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete. At age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.

Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees - the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes. On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.

Whenever a new transfer window arrives, with more money coming into the game, we see more spending and expensive buys from clubs around the world. However, along with experienced and proven footballers, football clubs always tend to buy new, exciting teenage footballers, even before they become stars.

Today, in this article, we will list the 20 most expensive teenagers in football transfer history.

20 Most expensive teenagers in football transfer history

Please note that the fee is based on Transfermarkt's data and is accurate as of August 7, 2025.

20. Javier Saviola – River Plate to FC Barcelona – 2001 – €35.90m (Age 19)

Javier Saviola's transfer to FC Barcelona from River Plate was the record fee for any teenager till it was later broken by Wayne Rooney. After scoring 24 goals in 41 matches, besides his 11 assists for River Plate, while winning the Argentine league in consecutive years, Saviola became the star FC Barcelona were looking for.

However, the transfer did not work that well for both him and the club as he was loaned out many times and went to play for Real Madrid in future as well. Saviola was recently the assistant manager of the Barcelona U19 team as well.

19. Josko Gvardiol – Dinamo Zagreb to RB Leipzig – 2021 – €36.8m (Age 19)

A Croatian defensive prodigy, Gvardiol impressed with his versatility and speed by playing as a ball-playing centre-back and left-back. His performances for Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia’s national team stirred RB Leipzig to break their transfer record.

Along with skill, Josko Gvardiol's physical strength and tactical intelligence made Leipzig pay €36.8m for the defender in 2021.

Two years later, Leipzig sold Gavrdiol to Manchester City for a whopping €90.00m.

18. Wayne Rooney – Everton to Manchester United – 2004 – €37m (Age 18)

One of England’s greatest ever talents, Rooney was signed for a then-record fee for a teenager. His all-around attacking prowess, vision, and finishing skill justified the huge investment.

In the 2003/04 season for Everton, Rooney had already scored nine goals in the Premier League as a teenager, which made Sir Alex Ferguson sign the youngster for a record €37m.

Rooney became Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals in 559 official games, winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.

Read Also: Most Premier League titles as a player

17. Luke Shaw – Southampton to Manchester United – 2014/15 – €37.5m (Age 18)

A highly rated left-back, Shaw was signed for his blend of strong defensive skills and speed. He was seen as the next big defender from England after John Terry, as he had done quite well at Southampton and England U-21s then.

Luke Shaw was bought by Manchester United in 2014 with a transfer fee of €37.5 million, making him one of the most expensive teenage footballers ever.

Despite serious injury setbacks, he has developed into a dependable member of United’s backline since then and continues to be a member of Ruben Amorim's team.

Two years ago today, @LukeShaw23 signed for #mufc. We can't wait to see him back in action! pic.twitter.com/uHXr6q10Pt

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 27, 2016

16. Yankuba Minteh – Newcastle United to Brighton – 2024 – €38.8m (Age 19)

A direct, pacey Gambian forward, Yankuba Minteh, earned his big move as Brighton always invests in young, aggressive talents to shape their Premier League competitiveness and future development.

Newcastle United were the first to sign him, but sent him on loan to Feyenoord, where he scored 11 goals and had five assists. Brighton then signed him permanently in the 2024/25 season, for €38.8m, making him one of the most expensive teenagers in football transfer history.

Last season, he had 12 goal contributions for Brighton in the Premier League.

In 2024, Sportz Point named Minteh among the top 10 future stars of the Premier League.

In case you missed the big news overnight... 😜 Yankuba Minteh is an Albion player! 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/hA9HVaeHc6

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) July 1, 2024

15. Dejan Kulusevski – Atalanta to Juventus – 2019/20 – €39m (Age 19)

Dejan Kulusevski, the Swedish winger, scored 10 goals and assisted 9 times in Serie A in the 2019-20 season, leading Juventus to pay a premium to have him in the Winter transfer window.

Although he was brought to Turin with a €39m transfer fee from Atalanta BC, he was soon loaned out to Parma and Tottenham Hotspur. In 2023, he was eventually bought by Spurs with a transfer fee of €30.00 million.

14. Fabio Silva – Porto to Wolves – 2020/21 – €40m (Age 18)

Portuguese striker Fabio Silva came with impressive youth goal-scoring records for FC Porto U19 and the FC Porto team from the 2018-2020 season. Seeing his talent, Wolves paid a significant fee of €40m, hoping that his technical finishing and physicality would translate well into Premier League success.

However, he was soon loaned to various clubs. Last season, he joined the team after spending a season at UD Las Palmas on loan.

13. Vitor Roque – Athletico Paranaense to FC Barcelona – 2024 – €40m (Age 19)

Barcelona acquired Roque to bolster their attack during a rebuilding phase. Known for his goal instinct, technical skill, and agile movement, Roque had scored 21 goals in 45 games for the Brazilian club Paranaense to attract a €40m bid from the Catalan club.

However, after only 2 goals in 16 games for the Spanish, he was sent back on loan to Real Betis and eventually signed for Palmeiras last season.

12. Archie Gray – Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur – 2024 – €41.25m (Age 19)

A promising English defensive midfielder, Archie Gray, made a high-profile resume after winning the U21 Euros and doing well for Leeds United.

This helped Tottenham sign him for €41.25m in 2024 as they continued to focus on developing young home-grown talent.

Archie played 28 Premier League and 11 Europa League games for Spurs in his first season at the club.

Read Also: Most goal contributions in every season since 2001 [Updated]

11. Jorrel Hato – Ajax to Chelsea – 2025 – €44.18m (Age 19)

Dutch defender Jorrel Hato, who came through Ajax’s ranks, secured a big move to Chelsea. With Enzo Maresca and Chelsea’s long-term strategic vision for rebuilding their defence, Hato was supposed to be the next big thing for the Blues.

The left-back has a knack for scoring and contributing to goals as well. He had eight goal contributions in the 2024/25 Eredivisie for Ajax.

Read Also: Premier League Stats: Top 5 defenders with the most goals

10. Franco Mastantuono – River Plate to Real Madrid - 2025 - €45m (Age 18)

With a €45 million coming on 14th August 2025, Argentine U21 star Franco Mastantuono is all set to be the most expensive teenager in the football transfer window of the 2025/26 season.

The right-winger had a successful 2024/25 season with River Plate, scoring seven times in 22 games along with four assists, which led him to make his senior debut for Argentina as well.

9. Vinicius Jr. – Flamengo to Real Madrid – 2018 – €45m (Age 18)

Real Madrid and Brazilian youngsters have always been a love affair made in heaven. After scoring 10 goals and assisting four times in 32 goals for Flamengo in the 2017-18 season, Vinicius Jr.’s electrifying pace, dribbling, and flair made him a valued acquisition for Real Madrid.

Vinicius was brought to Real Madrid for €45m, which made him one of the most expensive teenagers in world football of the last decade.

Despite a slow start, he developed into a key player, helping Madrid win three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies.

Read Also: Players with the most Champions League titles

8. Rodrygo – Santos to Real Madrid – 2019 – €45m (Age 18)

As I was saying, Real Madrid and Brazilian teenage stars stand in a love affair made in heaven.

Following Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo was signed to strengthen Real Madrid’s attack with a versatile winger capable of playing across the frontline. Rodrygo had already done well for Santos in the previous season, which caught the eyes of Los Blancos, and soon he was signed for €45m

Since then, he has won three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles with the club, while scoring 68 crucial goals and providing 51 assists.

Read Also: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

7. Endrick – Palmeiras to Real Madrid – 2024 – €47.5m (Age 18)

Now it would be boring for you if I repeated the same thing. But what can I do if we have three back-to-back, same transfer patterns on our list of the most expensive teenagers in football transfer history?

Hailed as one of Brazil’s brightest prospects, Endrick’s prolific youth scoring and sharp finishing caught the eye of Real Madrid.

Endrick was brought to Bernabeu by Carlo Ancelotti after he helped Palmeiras win the Brazilian league in successive previous seasons.

6. Anthony Martial – Monaco to Manchester United – 2015 – €60m (Age 19)

🗓️ On this day in 2015...

Anthony Martial introduced himself to Old Trafford with THAT goal against Liverpool on his #MUFC debut 🥲🫶pic.twitter.com/2pbOF0B6F3

— Stretford Paddock (@StretfordPaddck) September 12, 2024

Martial’s dazzling speed, dribbling, and flair from France made Manchester United break their teenage transfer record. After a great season with AS Monaco, where he scored 12 goals and provided five assists, United broke every record to bring him to Old Trafford.

He had an immediate impact with 17 Premier League goals in his debut season, though injuries and form fluctuations have tempered his career since.

5. Leny Yoro – Lille to Manchester United – 2024 – €62m (Age 18)

Manchester United invested heavily in Leny Yoro’s defensive attributes, physicality, and maturity beyond his years. Yoro was signed by United under Erik ten Hag for €62m, a record transfer fee for a teenage defender.

He still continues to be one of the pillars of the United defence under new boss Ruben Amorim.

4. Romeo Lavia – Southampton to Chelsea – 2023 – €62.1m (Age 19)

Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia’s combination of technical skill, tactical intelligence, and defensive contributions enticed Chelsea to pay a club-record fee of €62.1m for a teenager.

Lavia was first discovered by Manchester City, where he flourished for the Manchester City U-21 and U-23 teams. Then, he did well for Southampton to be able to attract a large bid from Chelsea.

3. Matthijs de Ligt – Ajax to Juventus – 2019 – €85.5m (Age 19)

Matthijs De Ligt captained a young Ajax side to the 2018/19 Champions League semifinals and even scored a decisive goal for them in the quarter-finals. Juventus rewarded him with one of the highest fees ever for a teenage defender when he was bought for a record fee for a teenage defender, €85.5m.

After spending seasons with Juventus and FC Bayern Munich, the defender signed for Manchester United in 2024, under former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

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2. Joao Felix – Benfica to Atletico Madrid – 2019 – €127.2m (Age 19)

Touted as a generational talent, Joao Felix was signed as a creative attacking replacement for Antoine Griezmann by Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a club record €127.2 million.

Felix had scored 20 goals in 43 games for Benfica, along with 11 assists, before joining the Spanish club. However, he could not justify the price tag and soon found himself playing for different clubs.

At 25, he has now signed for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr FC.

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1. Kylian Mbappe – Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain – 2018 – €180m (Age 19)

Kylian Mbappe's transfer from AS Monaco to PSG in 2018 is still the most expensive football transfer for a teenager.

Mbappe's blistering pace, clinical finishing, and football intelligence at such a young age had already made him a star.

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In the 2016/17 season, Mbappe scored 28 goals and had 14 assists in 46 games for Monaco, which had set him up as one of the greatest footballing talents on earth. Among those 28 goals, 6 were in the Champions League in just 9 games.

Monaco have agreed to loan Kylian Mbappe to PSG with an option to sign him for €180m next summer. Medical tomorrow. (Source: L'Equipe) pic.twitter.com/cXSjQRva3K

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 27, 2017

PSG thought of Mbappe as an investment as they looked to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

PSG’s record fee of €180m paid off as he became Ligue 1’s all-time top scorer, a World Cup winner, and one of the world’s best players.