How Amad has joined Greenwood, Rashford and Best
Amad made history against AC Milan on Thursday night (11 March), by becoming the fourth-youngest European goalscorer in Manchester United history.
The young Ivorian was sent on at half-time to replace the injured Anthony Martial, and set tongues wagging almost immediately by finding the net just five minutes after his introduction.
It means Amad, at 18 years and 243 days, joins fellow team-mates Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford, plus all-time great George Best, as one of our youngest goal-getters in continental competition for the Reds.
Highlights: United 1 AC Milan 1 Video
Highlights: United 1 AC Milan 1
Watch all the best action from our draw with Milan, including Amad's stunning maiden Reds goal...
The midfielder, who joined from Atalanta in January, edged out Brian Kidd (18 years, 275 days) and Wayne Rooney (18 years, 340 days) when he applied an audacious flicked header to Bruno Fernandes’s inventive pass, leaving Rossoneri goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma stranded in no man’s land.
It was just his third appearance for United, following two cameos in the last round of the Europa League against Real Sociedad.
However, Amad could not overhaul the trio at the top of our list: Mason Greenwood (17 years, 353 days), Marcus Rashford (18 years, 117 days) and the legendary George Best (18 years, 158 days). But the fact he is keeping such illustrious company can only bode well for his future at the club.
However, Amad could not overhaul the trio at the top of our list: Mason Greenwood (17 years, 353 days), Marcus Rashford (18 years, 117 days) and the legendary George Best (18 years, 158 days). But the fact he is keeping such illustrious company can only bode well for his future at the club.
All of the other names mentioned in the list have gone on to great things, or are in the process of doing so. Here’s how they earned their places in our European history books…
MASON GREENWOOD V ASTANA (2019)
The Bradford-born Academy graduate is the only Red to score in European competition before his 18th birthday, and he achieved that feat by sending home the winner in our 1-0 Europa League victory over Astana at Old Trafford last season. The game was deadlocked with less than 20 minutes remaining when the ball wound its way to Greenwood towards the right of the Kazakh's penalty area. Mason feinted to shoot with his left, then passed the nearest defender on the outside, before spearing a low, right-footed shot underneath the goalkeeper with all the ice-cold cool we’ve come to expect from his finishing.
The Bradford-born Academy graduate is the only Red to score in European competition before his 18th birthday, and he achieved that feat by sending home the winner in our 1-0 Europa League victory over Astana at Old Trafford last season. The game was deadlocked with less than 20 minutes remaining when the ball wound its way to Greenwood towards the right of the Kazakh's penalty area. Mason feinted to shoot with his left, then passed the nearest defender on the outside, before spearing a low, right-footed shot underneath the goalkeeper with all the ice-cold cool we’ve come to expect from his finishing.
European appearances: 18
Goals: 6
Goal of the Day: Greenwood v Astana Video
Goal of the Day: Greenwood v Astana
It's a year to the day since Mason scored his first senior United goal, with this expert finish against Astana...
MARCUS RASHFORD V MIDTJYLLAND (2016)
Who can forget Marcus’s introduction to Manchester United life? He scored twice on his European debut, which was, of course, also his first senior match. Just after the hour-mark in this crucial Europa League second leg against the Danes, Rashford steered home Juan Mata’s cutback to draw us level on aggregate, sparking wild celebrations in the stands. Less than 15 minutes later, Marcus tapped in Guillermo Varela’s cross at the back post to put us ahead. The stuff of dreams, and the start of what has already proved an exceptional career.
European appearances: 47
Goals: 17
Video
GEORGE BEST V DJURGARDENS IF (1964)
Arguably our greatest-ever player, the miraculously talented George Best opened his European account in a comfortable 6-1 win against Stockholm club Djurgardens IF in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (subsequently the UEFA Cup/Europa League), back in 1964. The following season, he would be terrorising arguably the best continental team of the '60s, Benfica, leading United to a scarcely believable 5-1 European Cup win in Lisbon. George would, of course, go on to lift that trophy when we beat the Portuguese club 4-1 at Wembley in May 1968, where he scored our critical second goal in extra-time.
Arguably our greatest-ever player, the miraculously talented George Best opened his European account in a comfortable 6-1 win against Stockholm club Djurgardens IF in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (subsequently the UEFA Cup/Europa League), back in 1964. The following season, he would be terrorising arguably the best continental team of the '60s, Benfica, leading United to a scarcely believable 5-1 European Cup win in Lisbon. George would, of course, go on to lift that trophy when we beat the Portuguese club 4-1 at Wembley in May 1968, where he scored our critical second goal in extra-time.
European appearances: 34
Goals: 11
BRIAN KIDD V GORNIK ZABRZE (1968)
Kiddo would famously lift the European Cup at the end of his very first senior season, 1967/68. He even memorably scored in the final on what was his 19th birthday, though he’d already opened his European account by then, having grabbed the second in our important 2-0 victory over Gornik Zabrze in the quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford. The Poles won the second meeting 1-0, which meant Brian’s 89th-minute first-leg effort proved the tie’s decisive moment, setting us up for an epic semi-final encounter with Real Madrid.
Kiddo would famously lift the European Cup at the end of his very first senior season, 1967/68. He even memorably scored in the final on what was his 19th birthday, though he’d already opened his European account by then, having grabbed the second in our important 2-0 victory over Gornik Zabrze in the quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford. The Poles won the second meeting 1-0, which meant Brian’s 89th-minute first-leg effort proved the tie’s decisive moment, setting us up for an epic semi-final encounter with Real Madrid.
European appearances: 16
Goals: 3
Wembley wonders! How we won in '68 Video
Wembley wonders! How we won in '68
Watch the key moments as United beat Benfica to become England's very first Champions of Europe...
WAYNE ROONEY V FENERBAHCE (2004)
Like Marcus Rashford, Rooney’s maiden United goal came in Europe, on his very first Reds appearance. In arguably the greatest United debut of all time, Rooney blasted a hat-trick of stunning virtuosity against Turkish opponents Fenerbahce, sending Old Trafford into rapture. His first was fired home with his left, on the run; his second a stunning long-distance daisy-cutter with his right from outside the box. In the second half, he completed the job with a delicate and accurate close-range free-kick. It was a simply astonishing performance, and the start of nothing less than the greatest goalscoring career the Theatre of Dreams has ever witnessed.
Like Marcus Rashford, Rooney’s maiden United goal came in Europe, on his very first Reds appearance. In arguably the greatest United debut of all time, Rooney blasted a hat-trick of stunning virtuosity against Turkish opponents Fenerbahce, sending Old Trafford into rapture. His first was fired home with his left, on the run; his second a stunning long-distance daisy-cutter with his right from outside the box. In the second half, he completed the job with a delicate and accurate close-range free-kick. It was a simply astonishing performance, and the start of nothing less than the greatest goalscoring career the Theatre of Dreams has ever witnessed.
European appearances: 99
Goals: 39
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