Who is Brian Madjo (17)? He Tormented PSG's Defense
Brian Madjo, Aston Villa's 17-year-old striker, broke the record as the youngest scorer in UEFA Super Cup history, despite a legal battle with FIFA over registration.
Brian Madjo, Aston Villa's 17-year-old striker, broke the record as the youngest scorer in UEFA Super Cup history, despite a legal battle with FIFA over registration.
Paris Saint-Germain won the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, defeating Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg. However, the story of the evening was not the trophy of the current European champions, but 17-year-old Brian Madjo, whose goal in the 45th minute entered the competition's history books.
The young striker from Birmingham found the net at just 17 years and 212 days old, breaking a record that had stood for decades, held by Patrick Kluivert. The Dutchman scored in 1996 at 19 years and 220 days, a fact confirmed by statistics service OptaJoe on Twitter.
Madjo started from the first minute and, after PSG's initial dominance, led his team's resurgence. Although he missed several clear chances, he managed to equalize at 1-1 in the closing stages of the first half. McGinn delivered a precise cross, and Madjo shrugged off defender Pacho to score the equalizer. Goals for PSG came from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 20th minute and Desiree Doue in the 62nd.
Born on January 12, 2009, in London's Enfield, Madjo grew up in Luxembourg, where he took his first steps at clubs Marisca Mersch and Racing Union. He matured as a footballer in the academy of French club Metz, where last August he became the first player born in 2009 to feature in Ligue 1. He started against Strasbourg at just 16 years and 217 days old, becoming Metz's youngest starter since records began in the 1947/48 season.
His father, Guy, was a professional striker in lower-league English clubs, and Brian stands 193 centimeters tall, which, combined with his strong physique, makes him look considerably older. This often draws comparisons to Romelu Lukaku, but Manuel Cardoni, technical director of the Luxembourg Football Federation, went a step further: "He has a more complete profile than Lukaku because he is good in tight spaces and equally adept with both feet."
Aston Villa brought in Madjo in January 2026, on his 17th birthday, for a fee of just under €12 million, which could rise to €12 million with bonuses. Manager Unai Emery saw him as a first-team project, not an academy prospect, which surprised many given the price.
However, FIFA blocked his registration because Madjo, despite being born in England and holding British citizenship, had played three times for Luxembourg's senior national team. The transfer was treated as international, and rules prohibit such transfers for players under 18. The process dragged on for over six months, and the youngster was not allowed to play even for youth teams. Villa took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ruled in the club's favor in early August 2026, allowing his registration. His teammate Boubacar Kamara celebrated the victory with an Instagram post reading "Free Madjo."
Just eight days after the ruling, Emery put Madjo in the starting lineup for one of the biggest European club matches outside the Champions League. Although he has made three appearances for Luxembourg's senior team, they were all in friendlies, so he still has the option to play for England, whose U-17 side he has already represented.
