Jeremy Monga breaks Championship record and emerges as rising star at Leicester.

Every so often, a young footballer emerges whose talent is impossible to ignore.

While many of these prospects make headlines in Europe’s top leagues, others quietly develop in lower divisions.

That is the case for Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who has already made history in the Championship.

Aged just 16 years and 37 days, Monga became the youngest player to score in the Championship, netting against Preston North End on Saturday (16 August).

In doing so, he broke a record previously held by Jude Bellingham, who scored for Birmingham City at 16 years and 63 days back in 2019. Bellingham now plays for Real Madrid.

Although Leicester suffered a 2-1 defeat, Monga’s goal marked an exciting chapter in what is already being viewed as a meteoric rise for the teenage winger.

Leicester’s teenage talent impressing with dribbling and maturity

Born in Coventry, Monga joined the Foxes’ youth system at the age of eight and quickly stood out with his pace and dribbling skills—hallmarks of a traditional winger.

This season, he has already recorded a 60% dribble success rate in just two Championship appearances, underlining his threat in one-on-one situations.

His potential was evident early on. At 14, he was already representing Leicester’s under-18 side, and last season, he made his Premier League debut aged 15 years and 271 days against Newcastle United—becoming the second-

youngest player to feature in an English top-flight match after Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri.

Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid monitoring Monga

Monga’s rapid rise has not gone unnoticed.

According to reports in the European press, the winger is attracting interest from major clubs including Manchester City, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.

As per BBC Sport, Leicester are keen to retain the youngster and expect him to sign his first professional contract in mid-2026, when he becomes eligible upon turning 17.

Speaking after the match, his manager praised both Monga’s technical qualities and mindset:

“He’s showing character and personality. We’ll do our best to help him become the player we believe he can be.”