Jude Bellingham became the youngest player to reach 50 appearances in the UEFA Champions League this week as he featured for Real Madrid against Liverpool. The England midfielder did not get the result he was hoping for as the Reds won 1-0 at Anfield, but it’s another milestone for someone who has already achieved so much in his young career.Bellingham has now surpassed some of the greatest players in the modern history of European football, including some of his teammates.Youngest players to reach 50 Champions League appearances:5. Rodrygo – 23 years, 3 months, 21 daysThe first of four Real Madrid players on this list, Rodrygo made an immediate impact with Los Blancos following the completion of his move from Santos in 2019.The Brazilian netted three goals against Galatasaray that November, becoming the second youngest ever to score a hat-trick and the first player born in the 21st century to score in the Champions League.The forward is not one of the marquee names in the Real frontline, but he nonetheless played a key role when they won the trophy in both 2022 and 2024. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});4. Kylian Mbappe – 22 years, 11 months, 4 daysIt’s hard to believe that Kylian Mbappe made his breakthrough with AS Monaco a whole decade ago. He became the club’s youngest ever first-team player when he made his Ligue 1 debut in December 2015.The following season the striker went on to stun the world in the Champions League, scoring four goals in knockout ties against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund to send Monaco to the semi-finals.Mbappe made the inevitable move to PSG that summer, joining the club on loan with a mandatory buy option set at £166m, making him the most expensive teenager ever. He has since joined Real Madrid, though has yet to win the Champions League.3. Cesc Fàbregas – 22 years, 10 months, 27 daysIt’s difficult to describe the excitement that surrounded Cesc Fabregas’ breakthrough at Arsenal. Making his debut at 16, the Spaniard replaced Patrick Vieira, an unenviable task for any youngster, but he it soon became clear that he was up to the task.Fabregas was a fixture in Arsene Wenger’s starting lineup following the Frenchman’s departure in 2005, becoming its creative hub over the next six years. In 2004/05, he became the second-youngest goalscorer in Champions League history. The following season he played in the final against former club Barcelona, losing 2-1 in Paris.The midfielder returned to Barça in 2011, his only major honour with the Gunners being the 2005 FA Cup.Read – Five of the best solo goals in UCL history (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});2. Iker Casillas – 22 years, 5 months, 2 daysIker Casillas was a sensation when he broke into the Real team as an 18-year-old. In September 1999, he became the youngest goalkeeper ever to feature in the Champions League, a record that would stand for 18 years. That same season he would go on to be the youngest goalkeeper to play in and win the final.The Spaniard made 177 appearances in the competition across his illustrious career, with only one of them coming off the bench; the 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen.1. Jude Bellingham – 22 years, 4 months, 6 daysYou sometimes have to remind yourself how young Bellingham is, because it feels like he has been around a long time already.After breaking into the Birmingham City first team at the age of 16, he went on to join Borussia Dortmund the following year. Aged 17 years and 113 days, he became the youngest Englishman to play in the Champions League and went on to play 25 times in the competition for Die Schwarzgelben.Bellingham made the move to Real Madrid in 2023 and lifted the trophy in his first season at the club, beating his former team in the final and claiming the Champions League Young Player of the Season award. He was still only 20 at the time.Champions League Awards – Flying Dutch-Van, brilliant Brugge, Marquinhos’ mistakePower Rankings – Impregnable Arsenal on the upSee Also – Haaland shoots down Messi and Ronaldo comparisonsFollow The Football Faithful on Social Media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTokThe post The youngest players to reach 50 Champions League appearances first appeared on The Football Faithful.