DUBLIN — On Thursday night, 16-year-old Michael Noonan made waves in the football world, scoring a groundbreaking goal for Shamrock Rovers. His second-half strike led to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Norwegian team Molde during the first leg of their UEFA Conference League playoff.

Despite his impressive achievement, Noonan had little time to bask in the glory, as he had school commitments the very next day. At just 16 years and 197 days old, he has now etched his name in history as the youngest player to score in the UEFA Conference League. After the team’s flight back to Dublin, he had to prepare for his classes on Friday morning.

His mother, Sandie Noonan, shared the moment on social media platform X, posting a snapshot of her son going off to school with the caption: “And back to school he goes…”
While Shamrock Rovers celebrated Noonan’s record as the youngest scorer in any European club competition, it’s worth noting that Nii Lamptey still holds the record for being younger in a UEFA Cup match for Anderlecht in 1991, having scored at 16 years and 100 days.

Looking ahead, the second leg of the playoff is scheduled for next Thursday at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, where fans will undoubtedly be eager to see more from the young talent. Noonan, who had previously trialed with Manchester City, joined the Rovers in January from St. Patrick’s Athletic, having already made a mark as the youngest starter for the Saints at just 15 years and 9 months.

He is also an Under-17 international representing Ireland, showing that he is not only a rising star at the club level but also for his country. Rovers head coach Stephen Bradley praised Noonan’s dedication, stating that he “just lives, breathes, and sleeps football.” Although it seems that Friday morning may have come a little too early for the young player.