Rio Ngumoha

Last updated

Rio Ngumoha
Personal information
Full name Rio Chima Ngumoha [1]
Date of birth (2008-08-29) 29 August 2008 (age 16)
Place of birth Newham, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) [2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Liverpool
Number 73
Youth career
2016–2024 Chelsea
2024– Liverpool
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2025– Liverpool 1 (1)
International career
2023 England U15 4 (2)
2023–2024 England U16 9 (2)
2024– England U17 11 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:06, 25 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 15:21, 26 May 2025 (UTC)

Rio Chima Ngumoha (born 29 August 2008) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool. [3]

Contents

Club career

Chelsea

Ngumoha joined the Chelsea academy aged eight and scored in Chelsea's 3–1 win over Wolves in the U17 Premier League Cup final in April 2024. [4] [5]

Liverpool

Ngumoha joined Liverpool in the summer of 2024. [6] [7] [8]

In the autumn of the 2024–25 season, Ngumoha was called-up to train with the Liverpool first team squad by manager Arne Slot. [9] [10] [11] He was named amongst the match day substitutes for Liverpool's EFL Cup tie against Southampton on 18 December 2024. [12] On 11 January 2025, Ngumoha made his professional debut as a starter in Liverpool's 4–0 win against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup. He became the youngest Liverpool player to appear in the FA Cup aged 16 years, 135 days and at the same time became the youngest player to start a first-team game in the club's history, [13] before being substituted off for Jayden Danns in the 71st-minute. [14]

Ngumoha was included in the Liverpool squad for the July 2025 pre-season tour to Hong Kong and Japan. [15] He featured for the club in pre-season friendlies, being praised for his performances, getting two goals and two assists across his four games. [16] On 25 August, Ngumoha made his Premier League debut as an added-time substitute for Cody Gakpo and scored in the 10th minute of stoppage time, securing a 3–2 away win over Newcastle United and becoming the youngest goalscorer in club history. [17] [18] The goal also surpassed Darwin Núñez's winning goal against Nottingham Forest in March 2024 by a minute to become the club's latest game-winning goal in the Premier League. [19]

International career

Born in England, Ngumoha is of Nigerian and Guadeloupean descent. Rio holds both Nigerian and French nationalities from his parents. [20] [21] He made his England under-15 and England U16 debuts in 2023. [3] In October 2024 he played for England U17. [22] He was called-up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. [23]

Style of play

Described as a “skillful” and “creative forward" Ngumoha was included in The Guardian ’s 'Next Generation 2024: 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs' series. [24]

Career statistics

As of match played 25 August 2025 [3]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup EFL Cup EuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool 2024–25 [25] Premier League 0010000010
2025–26 [26] Premier League110000000011
Career total111000000021

    Honours

    Chelsea

    References

    1. "2024/25 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
    2. "Rio Ngumoha Liverpool U21 Forward, Profile & Stats | Premier League". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
    3. 1 2 3 Rio Ngumoha at Soccerway . Retrieved 25 August 2025.
    4. Brophy, Joe (18 December 2024). "Rio Ngumoha believes he can achieve 23-year Liverpool Ballon d'Or feat after Raheem Sterling tip". Talksport. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
    5. Morgan, Rich; Bitibiri, Will (5 August 2025). "Rio Ngumoha: Who is 16-year-old Liverpool winger and how did he break into Arne Slot's first-team squad?". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
    6. Wilson, Amie; Cavilla, Tom (5 September 2024). "Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool wonderkid 'worth £60m' signed from Chelsea". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
    7. Doyle, Ian (14 September 2024). "Liverpool plan for Rio Ngumoha as new signing finally ready for debut before Milan trip". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
    8. Pearce, James (10 July 2024). "Liverpool set to sign Rio Ngumoha, 15, from Chelsea" . The Athletic. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
    9. Quinlan, James (8 November 2024). "Liverpool handed welcome sight as talented player makes return to Arne Slot training session". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
    10. Jones, Peter Kenny (20 November 2024). "Presence of teenage academy starlet in Liverpool training suggests Arne Slot adoration". empireofthekop. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
    11. "After impressing in training, Rio Ngumoha misses out on Girona clash due to UEFA rules". Tribuna.com. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
    12. Lusby, Jack (18 December 2024). "Who is Rio Ngumoha? 16-year-old winger named in Liverpool's first team". This is Anfield. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
    13. Shaw, Chris (12 January 2025). "Rio Ngumoha becomes Liverpool's second-youngest debutant". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
    14. Lusby, Jack (11 January 2025). "Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool's surprise 16-year-old starter in FA Cup". This is Anfield. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
    15. "Liverpool 29-man squad for pre-season tour to Hong Kong and Japan". Liverpoolfc.com. 20 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
    16. "Rio Ngumoha raises first-team hype with Liverpool goal at Anfield". BBC Sport. 4 August 2025.
    17. McNulty, Phil (25 August 2025). "Newcastle vs Liverpool". BBC Sport. BBC News . BBC . Retrieved 25 August 2025.
    18. "Rio Ngumoha's 100th-minute winner gives Liverpool thrilling 3-2 win at Newcastle". Liverpool . 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
    19. Shaw, Chris (25 August 2025). "Rio Ngumoha strike is Liverpool's latest ever Premier League winner". Liverpool . Retrieved 26 August 2025.
    20. Abel, Kelechi (12 January 2025). "Rio Ngumoha Makes Historic Liverpool Debut After Leaving Chelsea - Football In Nigeria".
    21. Silas, Don (4 September 2024). "'My mother is from France' - Rio on why he snubbed France, Nigeria". Daily Post Nigeria. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
    22. "England MU17s squad named for October qualifiers". England Football. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
    23. Maston, Tom (19 May 2025). "Max Dowman, Rio Ngumoha and six future England stars to watch at the Under-17 European Championship". Goal. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
    24. Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (14 October 2024). "Next Generation 2024: 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
    25. "Rio Ngumoha | Football Stats | Liverpool | Season 2024/2025 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
    26. "Rio Ngumoha | Football Stats | Liverpool | Season 2025/2026 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
    27. "PL Cup final report: Wolves 1-3 Chelsea". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 26 August 2025.