Premier League Nominated Rio Ngumoha for Player of the Week
The Premier League has announced its shortlist for Player of the Week after a thrilling second round of the 2025/26 season. Among the nominees is Liverpool’s teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha, whose unforgettable debut stole the headlines.
Fans now have the chance to cast their vote and decide who should be crowned the official Premier League Player of the Matchweek.
Rio Ngumoha’s introduction to the Premier League could not have been scripted any better.
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Coming off the bench at St. James’ Park, the 16-year-old showed nerves of steel to score a 100th-minute winneragainst Newcastle United.
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In doing so, he became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer, at just 16 years and 361 days old.
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The goal also etched his name into Premier League history as the fourth-youngest scorer in the competition’s history—behind James Vaughan, James Milner, and Wayne Rooney.
It was the kind of fairytale moment most teenagers can only dream about.
How to Vote
Supporters can cast their votes via the official Premier League website.
Deadline: Wednesday, 27 August, at 12:00 BST
Click here to vote for Rio Ngumoha
Rio’s Reaction
Speaking after the match, Ngumoha could hardly contain his excitement.
“I’m buzzing! I’m so happy to score, especially the winner. It’s a proud and special moment,” he said, reflecting on his heroics.
The youngster credited Liverpool’s coaching staff for helping him develop the instincts that put him in the right place at the right time:
“From the Academy to the first team, they’ve always told me: ‘Make the back post.’ That’s exactly what I did, and it paid off.”
Ngumoha isn’t the only star up for the award. The Premier League has also shortlisted other standout performers from Matchweek 2, including Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres, who impressed with a strong display for the Gunners.
With fans given the final say, the race is on to see who produced the best individual performance of the weekend.
