Liverpool’s new summer signings may have made their long-awaited Anfield debuts, but it was 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha who truly stole the spotlight during the club’s unusual pre-season double header against Athletic Bilbao.
The Reds split their squad into two teams for back-to-back friendlies, with the second XI facing the Spanish side first at 17:00 BST, followed by the first team clash at 20:00 BST. While the marquee signings featured in the later game, Ngumoha made his mark in the opener with a stunning display, delivering a goal and an assist within the first five minutes.
Liverpool won the first encounter 4-1, with Ngumoha’s early heroics setting the tone. Darwin Nunez, Ben Doak, and Harvey Elliott were also on the scoresheet, completing a confident win.
Ngumoha’s goal came in just the second minute. The teenage forward picked up a loose ball deep in his own half, surged forward, and curled a brilliant 20-yard strike into the net. Only three minutes later, he turned provider, heading a Ben Doak cross down perfectly for Darwin Nunez to convert from close range.
Fans inside Anfield were quick to show their appreciation, singing his name as Curtis Jones gestured for more applause. Ngumoha continued to torment Bilbao’s defense with his dribbling and creativity before leaving to a standing ovation midway through the second half.
“He is such an excellent prospect,” said former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie on LFC TV. “The difficult is managing expectations but it’s hard to put a lid on it.”
Manager Arne Slot also praised the teenager’s continued growth during pre-season. “Rio is showing things every time in pre-season,” he said.
Ngumoha’s star turn comes after he registered an assist against AC Milan and scored against Yokohama F. Marinos during Liverpool’s Asian tour. Though still raw, his talent has supporters and coaches alike excited about his potential involvement in the first team this season.
The evening’s second match featured Liverpool’s first-team regulars and high-profile summer signings, including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, JeremieFrimpong, Milos Kerkez, and GiorgiMamardashvili whose move was completed a year after being agreed. Together, they represented £263.5 million worth of fresh talent.
Despite the big names, it was Cody Gakpo who delivered the headlines in the later fixture, scoring twice for Liverpool and once in his own net, as the Reds triumphed 3-2. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring but later missed a penalty, while Slot expressed satisfaction with the overall attacking performance.
“In both games we created a lot of chances and scored seven goals. That’s very pleasing to see,” Slot said.
Ngumoha’s breakthrough may be particularly timely. In January, he became the youngest Liverpool player to start a competitive match—aged 16 years and 135 days—during a 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington. That remains his only first-team appearance, and he has yet to feature in a Premier League squad.
With changes in Liverpool’s forward line this summer and his pre-season form catching attention,Ngumoha could see more first-team opportunities in the coming campaign.
