16-Year-Old Phenom Shatters Jude Bellingham's Scoring Record

Jeremy Monga of Leicester City has broken Jude Bellingham's record as the youngest scorer in Championship history.

At just 16 years and 37 days old, Monga eclipsed Bellingham's remarkable achievement by nearly a month. The current Real Madrid midfielder was 63 days past his 16th birthday when he netted the decisive goal for Birmingham City against Stoke City six years ago, shortly after making his competition debut.

Similar to Bellingham, Monga is being hailed as a future star. The Leicester academy product experienced Premier League action during the club's disappointing relegation season last year, catching the attention of Manchester City and Chelsea scouts. The youngster made history as Leicester's youngest ever starter when he featured against Huddersfield Town in midweek before netting his maiden senior goal in Sunday's match at Preston North End.

"He merits recognition, he's a gifted youngster and we're working to nurture him because his humility is crucial to me, as his work ethic on the field is outstanding," Leicester manager Martí Cifuentes shared with BBC Radio Leicester following the 2–1 defeat.

"He's keen to develop, hungry for improvement and possesses tremendous ability, so I'm delighted he found his first goal and I'm confident he'll maintain his modesty. I'm pleased not just with the goal but his overall display.

"He's demonstrating maturity and confidence, and we'll continue supporting him to reach his potential."

Should Monga achieve even a fraction of Bellingham's success at this early career stage, Leicester will possess a valuable talent.

Jude Bellingham Takes Major Step Towards Real Madrid Return

Bellingham's scoring opportunities depend on his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery. The England star, still just 22 years old, finally underwent the procedure this summer to address a persistent problem he'd been managing for nearly two years.

Real Madrid have adopted a cautious approach regarding Bellingham's comeback timeline. The optimistic player has maintained a positive outlook and was seen returning to training just one month post-surgery.

The dynamic midfielder remains limited to solo conditioning sessions and isn't expected back until October at the earliest. This timeline would sideline Bellingham for the season's opening derby versus Atlético Madrid but should enable his participation in the campaign's first Clásico.