Rio Ngumoha has been a revelation for Liverpool since breaking into the first team last season, with the 17-year-old's Premier League performances earning high praise from his teammates
Rio Ngumoha and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk praised Ngumoha last season(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Rio Ngumoha has clearly impressed his Liverpool colleagues following his first-team emergence last season. The teenager netted his maiden Premier League goal just before turning 17 and has steadily continued his upward trajectory.
Nearly 12 months have passed since Ngumoha's dramatic late winner against Newcastle grabbed headlines in August 2025. The Liverpool winger featured sporadically throughout much of the campaign, starting five league matches across 19 appearances, but rounded off the season with a memorable curling strike against Fulham in April.
Ngumoha subsequently earned his England debut this summer, delivering an impressive display on the right flank. The 17-year-old, who netted Liverpool's winning goal in the pre-season victory over Wrexham, has since been deployed in the same role by new Reds head coach Andoni Iraola.
With the tactical versatility to operate effectively on both flanks, Ngumoha appears poised for a breakthrough campaign, despite the club's pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola. The Liverpool squad has certainly reached a consensus regarding the teenage prospect's quality.
Several weeks after Ngumoha's dramatic strike against Newcastle, the young sensation penned his first professional deal with the Reds. Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike was thrilled to see Ngumoha pledge his future to the club, commenting "Star boy" on the winger's social media post, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Ngumoha's second goal of the campaign against Fulham put the Reds on course for a straightforward 2-0 triumph. Yet club icon Andy Robertson was left astonished by the forward's composure during just his second Premier League start.
Rio Ngumoha celebrates scoring for Liverpool
Ngumoha scored his Premier League goal in April(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
"He's unbelievable," Robertson told Sky Sports. "It just shows you sometimes don't listen to the experienced players, I was screaming at him to say that I'm coming on the overlap.
"Then he just goes and cuts inside, it's a great finish, great performance by him. He just keeps learning and listening, he's such a good kid.
"Him and Trey [Nyoni] are a pleasure to work with and they listen to all the lads. You can just see them improving all the time. He's got a big future ahead of him, but here and now is pretty good as well."
Following the attacker's standout performance against Fulham, Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk was questioned about whether Ngumoha might feature from the start in the club's vital Champions League clash with PSG. With the Reds trailing 2-0 from the opening leg, the captain felt Ngumoha wouldn't be daunted by the magnitude of the occasion.
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The winger was eventually brought on in the 67th minute as Liverpool endured another 2-0 defeat.
"He would take it in his stride," Van Dijk said ahead of the PSG game. "He's a humble kid who works hard and listens.
"He wants to improve constantly. He has big dreams. It's down to him and the people around him to make sure that he stays like that. I'm not worried that anything will change on that front."
Meanwhile, Curtis Jones notably singled out Ngumoha when pressed to identify the most skilful player in Liverpool's training sessions. "I'll probably say Rio, you know," Jones told JD Sport.
Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool
Rio Ngumoha is looking to build on his breakthrough season at Liverpool(Image: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
"You see him every day in training. I remember the first day when he came in I was like 'Whoa.' He's just shown it every day."
Whether Ngumoha will feature as a squad rotation option or take on a more prominent role this campaign remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the teenage starlet is embracing the chance to make his mark on new head coach Iraola during pre-season preparations.
"All the coaching staff are just telling me to play my normal game really, whether that's going inside or outside," he said. "I've been working on it in training anyway, playing on the right and the left. Just being unpredictable really.
"On from the end of last season, I just want to play and start as many games as I can. These games are a really good showcase to show the manager, because it's a fresh start for everyone. It's really important and it's good."