Niko Iličević broke the record on Matchday 8, 2026/27, becoming the youngest ever alongside Youssoufa Moukoko. Who else ranks in the top ten? Keep reading.
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Age on debut: 16 years, one day
Eintracht Frankfurt’s attacking midfielder made Bundesliga history on 1 November 2026, a day after turning 16, as a late substitute in a 3-1 win over Hamburg on Matchday 8 of the 2026/27 season.
Iličević had earned rave reviews for his performances for Frankfurt’s U19 and UEFA Youth League teams the previous season. He instantly showed glimpses of his great potential with two efforts during his short cameo appearance against Hamburg.
Watch: Iličević becomes joint-youngest Bundesliga player
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Age on debut: 16 years, three days
Just two days older than Iličević and Moukoko, Güther debuted for Union Berlin on 11 April 2026, but could not stop a 3‑1 loss to Heidenheim after entering in the 84th minute.
His form for Union’s U19s in 2025/26 earned him a senior call‑up.
A prolific German youth international, Güther later appeared briefly against Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 6, 2026/27.
Watch: Güther makes Bundesliga debut
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Age on debut: 16 years, 15 days
Wanner etched his name as Bayern’s greenest debutant, coming off the bench in the 2‑1 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 18, 2021/22.
Limited minutes from 2021‑23 led to a loan at Heidenheim for 2023/24, where he tallied three goals and two assists in 29 games before sealing a permanent move to PSV.
Julian Nagelsmann handed Paul Wanner his debut in 2022. – Markus Ulmer via www.imago-images.de/imago images/ULMER Pressebildagentur
Age on debut: 16 years, 214 days
The left‑back debuted for Hamburg as a late substitute against Freiburg on Matchday 33, 2025/26, becoming the club’s youngest ever player.
He then became Hamburg’s youngest scorer, netting in a DFB Cup win over Verl in August 2026, and featured in six of the first eight league matches of 2026/27, starting four.
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Louis Lemke scored for Hamburg as a 16-year-old against Verl in the DFB Cup in August 2026. – IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO –>
Age of debut: 16 years, 264 days
Bischof shone in Hoffenheim’s youth ranks with 21 goals and 16 assists across U17, U19 and reserves before debuting under Sebastian Hoeneß on Matchday 27, 2021/22.
In early 2024/25 he cemented a senior spot, scoring against RB Leipzig and Freiburg, ending the season with five goals and two assists in 31 league games.
His displays earned a summer 2025 transfer to Bayern, where he has continued to impress.
Tom Bischof made his Bundesliga debut at Hoffenheim. – Oliver Zimmermann via www.imago-images.de
Age on debut: 16 years, 276 days
Sertdemir entered Bayer Leverkusen’s 1‑1 draw at Hertha Berlin on Matchday 11, 2021/22, snatching the club’s youngest‑ever debut record.
Born in Denmark with Turkish roots, the midfielder moved to the BayArena in summer 2021 from Nordsjaelland, returned in 2023, then played for Preußen Münster before joining Lyngby BK.
Zidan Sertdemir logged three Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen. – IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH / Kröger
Age on debut: 16 years, 298 days
He entered with four minutes left, but Iker Bravo’s substitution seven minutes earlier ensured Bravo holds the record as Leverkusen’s first 16‑year‑old and, for those brief minutes, the youngest ever, beating Florian Wirtz’s 17 years, 15 days.
Briefly the league’s second greenest player, the teenager arrived from Barcelona’s La Masia in summer, debuting in the DFB Cup against Karlsruhe eleven days before his Bundesliga start.
The Spaniard left Leverkusen in 2022 and was with Watford in 2026/27.
Gerardo Seoane gave Iker Bravo his Bayer Leverkusen debut. – IMAGO/Weis/TEAM2sportphoto For my money, Bravo’s early exposure hints at a promising future. What will his next breakthrough look like?