Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha Signs First Pro Deal As Nigeria And England Eye Teenage Sensation

The Rio Ngumoha story is only just beginning, but it already carries the weight of history and expectation.

The 17-year-old forward, born in London to Nigerian parents, has signed his first professional contract with Liverpool.

Ngumoha first caught the wider football world’s attention in August when he came off the bench to score a dramatic 100th-minute winner against Newcastle.

That strike not only sealed three points but also etched his name in Liverpool’s history books as the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer.

Within weeks, he was handed his Champions League debut.

His rise has been rapid, but alongside his club success lies a looming question: which country will he represent at senior level?

Though he has already featured for England at youth level, Ngumoha’s Nigerian roots make him eligible for the Super Eagles.

Under FIFA regulations, dual-nationality players remain free to switch allegiance provided they have not played a competitive senior fixture. That leaves Nigeria in contention, despite England’s head start.

The Nigerian Football Federation has successfully persuaded other England-born talents with strong family ties such as Ademola Lookman and Alex Iwobi to embrace the green and white.

Rio Ngumoha could be the next jewel in that crown.

For now, his new Liverpool contract secures his future at club level. But internationally, the tug-of-war between England and Nigeria is only just heating up and the final call will rest with Ngumoha himself.