Top 10 youngest debutants from the biggest clubs in European football
It is almost impossible to explain the flood of emotion and joy of making a debut on the grand stage of football."It was beyond a fairy-tale,” Steve Coppel remembered his debut in 1975 for Manchester United exquisitely, talking to ESPN.“And despite winning trophies, that day was my highlight as a United player. My heart was jumping out of my chest and I've never had another experience like it. I wasn't running; I was floating across the grass. Words do not do the experience justice; it was a drug-like euphoric trance. I've had a few operations, and it was like that little pleasant stage after the anesthetic. Only multiplied by a hundred.”The way Coppel has described his debut in the top flight of football can be held true for most football players. The memory of the first match, the sensation of a new beginning is far too monumental to be forgotten with time.Here, we take a look at top ten youngest debuts from the biggest clubs in Europe.
#10 David Alaba (Bayern Munich)
Age on debut: 17 years, 7 months and 8 days
David Alaba made his debut for the Bayern Munich senior side in 2010. In a DFB-Pokal game against SpVgg Greuther Fürth, he came on as a substitute and with his second touch in the game, grabbed his first assist for the club setting up Ribéry for a goal. In the game, at the age of 17 years, Alaba became the youngest player to play a competitive game for Munich.
Since then Alaba has done extremely well to integrate himself in the star-studded team of Bayern and has established himself as the undisputed first choice fullback on the left flank for the Bavarians. Despite being surrounded with star forwards, Alaba has had the opportunity to share the penalty and free-kick duties with the likes of Muller and Robben.