kop kids
Carabao Cup Kids
Harvey Elliott
Position: Forward
Age: 16
Squad no: 67
Games: 1
Goals: 0
Harvey Elliott isn't 17 until next April yet he has already set records for Liverpool FC and in the Premier League. Born in Chertsey, Surrey, Elliott began his career with Fulham FC and in May 2019 became the youngest Premier League player. Ever!
He was just 16 years and 30 days old when coming on as a substitute for Fulham FC against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, but by then Liverpool FC already knew all about the talented young forward. Elliott signed for the Reds in July and has already made an impact.
Harvey scored his first goal in a red shirt for Liverpool FC U21s against Oldham Athletic FC in the Leasing.com Trophy in August. A week later he was on the bench for the UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea FC in Istanbul. He didn't get on, but ended the night with a winners' medal following the Reds' penalty shoot-out success.
In September he made LFC history. Elliott was selected to play for the first-team against MK Dons in the Carabao Cup third round and, at the age of 16 years, five months and 22 days old, became the youngest player to ever start a game for Liverpool Football Club.
Only Jerome Sinclair, who was 16 years and six days old when coming on as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion FC in 2012, has played for the Reds at a younger age.
Had the crossbar not prevented him from scoring twice at Stadium MK then Elliott would have also become the first ever 16-year-old to score for Liverpool FC, but then as his 17th birthday is only in April there's plenty of time for that to happen yet! He's definitely one to watch.
Ki-Jana Hoever
Position: Defender
Age: 17
Squad no: 51
Games: 2
Goals: 1
Maybe it shouldn't be a surprise that Ki-Jana Hoever has already made a big impression for Liverpool FC's first-team in 2019/20 given the remarkable progress he made last season.
The Dutch defender, who plays at right-back, centre-back or right-sided centre-back in a three-man defence, was 16 when he arrived from AFC Ajax in September 2018. He made his U18s debut that month, his U19s debut in October, his U23s debut in November, was promoted to train with the first-team at Melwood in December and made his Liverpool FC debut in January!
That first-team debut came away to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in the FA Cup at the age of 16 years 11 months and 21 days old. At the time, Hoever was only the third 16-year-old to play for Liverpool FC, although Harvey Elliott has now joined the club by debuting against MK Dons.
While Harvey was making his debut, Ki-Jana Hoever – who was also an unused substitute during the UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul – was adding his name to the scoresheet for the first time at Stadium MK.
There were 69 minutes on the clock when James Milner, scorer of LFC's first goal and playing at left-back, crossed the ball to the far post where right-back Hoever rose into the air and powered an unstoppable header into the net. It was a brilliant finish.
Ki-Jana's goal clinched a 2-0 victory on his Carabao Cup debut and, aged 17 years, eight months and one week old, made him the third youngest ever goalscorer for Liverpool FC in the League Cup. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him continue to progress as the season goes on.
Caoimhin Kelleher
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 20
Squad no: 62
Games: 1
Clean sheets: 1
First things first. Do you know how to pronounce Caoimhin Kelleher's first name? We'll let our Republic of Ireland U21 international goalkeeper tell you himself: “It's pronounced 'Quivine'. People get it wrong nearly every day!”
Caoimhin is from Cork and signed for Liverpool FC in 2015. He's worked his way through the ranks at the LFC Academy and was on the substitutes' bench for the 2019 UEFA Champions League final in Madrid as third choice goalkeeper.
His main rival to be third choice goalie, Kamil Grabara, joined Huddersfield Town FC on loan this season and Caoimhin was rewarded for his progress by being handed his first-team debut against MK Dons in the Carabao Cup. He had an excellent game, making two brilliant saves and keeping a clean sheet as Liverpool FC went through to the fourth round.
“I thought his decision-making was outstanding against MK Dons,” said LFCTV analyst and former Liverpool FC striker Neil Mellor. “Sometimes young players make bad decisions due to nerves, but Kelleher only made good decisions and good saves.”
Kelleher's mum, sister, brother and girlfriend all travelled over from Ireland to watch the 20-year-old make his Liverpool FC debut from the away end inside Stadium MK. And, as you can imagine, Caoimhin was well excited to have pulled the gloves on for the first time.
“Obviously it was a dream come true because it is every young boy's dream to play for Liverpool,” he told Liverpool FC Magazine. “I wasn't going into the game thinking 'I have to keep a clean sheet', I just went into it thinking 'I have to do my job'. When the final whistle went and I knew I had a clean sheet it was a nice moment. It was class to make my debut.”
