Chelsea created Champions League history after three teenage players found the net in a commanding 5-1 victory over a struggling Ajax side in west London.
Marc Guiu, aged 19, opened the scoring to become Chelsea’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the competition, only for that record to last little more than half an hour. His goal came during a disastrous spell for Ajax, who lost their captain, Kenneth Taylor, to a red card within the same minute.
Estevao Willian, 18, later surpassed Guiu’s record by converting Chelsea’s third penalty of the night after fouls had gifted spot-kicks to both Enzo Fernandez and Wout Weghorst earlier in the half. Moises Caicedo also struck from a distance as chaos reigned before the interval.
After the restart, 18-year-old substitute Tyrique George netted from just inside the area within minutes of coming on, completing a remarkable evening that saw three Chelsea teenagers on the scoresheet.
Record appearances and Ajax’s unraveling
Chelsea’s youthful night continued when 17-year-old midfielder Reggie Walsh entered the field, becoming the club’s youngest-ever player in the Champions League and the second-youngest Englishman to appear in the tournament.
Ajax, once a dominant force in European football, endured a torrid evening. Taylor’s reckless challenge set the tone, and Weghorst’s earlier penalty was overshadowed by his later foul on Fernandez, who immediately punished the Dutch side by scoring from the spot.
Moments before halftime, further indiscipline from Youri Baas gifted Chelsea another penalty when he caught Estevao in the box. The Brazilian teenager made no mistake, calmly converting to seal a four-goal first half for Enzo Maresca’s team.
Although George’s strike early in the second half settled the match, both sides eased off afterward. By the 65th minute, Maresca had used all five substitutions, giving rest to Caicedo, Fernandez, and other senior players.
Youth at the core of Maresca’s vision
Ten players aged 21 or below featured for Chelsea in this one-sided contest, as the hosts fielded an average starting age of just over 22 years—one of the youngest ever by an English club in the competition.
Guiu, Estevao, and George all marked their first Champions League goals, while Walsh’s record-setting debut added another milestone to the club’s youthful rebuild. The only absentee from the long list of prospects was 16-year-old Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, who was part of the senior squad for the first time but did not play.
Maresca’s decision to trust young talent echoed the long-standing Ajax tradition of nurturing academy players—though the Dutch side, now winless in all competitions for four matches, appears far removed from their celebrated past.
Chelsea, meanwhile, has not fielded a player over 30 since last season, aligning with the owners’ strategy to develop one of Europe’s youngest squads. The club’s leadership, who routinely visit the dressing room after each match, are likely to view this dominant display as a validation of their long-term project.
