Ayyoub Bouaddi, at the tender age of 16 years and 118 days, etched his name in the annals of French football history by becoming the youngest player to start a match in the elite division since Basile Boli’s debut with Auxerre on April 29, 1983 (16 years and 117 days).
This extraordinary feat surpassed the previous benchmark set this season by Éli Junior Kroupi (17 years and 86 days), and Bouaddi now stands as the youngest starter across the five major European leagues, sharing this distinction with only two others: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (15 years, 9 months, and 16 days) and Pau Cubarsi (16 years and 361 days), both born after 2007.
The precocity displayed by Bouaddi extends beyond the starting lineup. In a surprising turn of events during the match against Montpellier, the young midfielder secured yet another record by becoming the youngest player to receive a red card in Ligue 1 over the last three decades.
This unprecedented accomplishment places him almost a year ahead of the previous record holder, Rayan Cherki, who achieved this at the age of 17 years and 111 days.
Bouaddi’s dual records underscore not only his exceptional talent but also the boldness of Lille’s coaching staff in entrusting significant responsibilities to a player of such youthful exuberance.
As the football world takes note of this historic evening, the trajectory of Ayyoub Bouaddi promises to be one watched with keen interest, marking the emergence of a prodigious talent within the elite realm of French football.
