In the 63rd minute of VfB Stuttgart’s clash with Real Madrid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, head coach Sebastian Hoeneß decided it was time for a change. Off went Josha Vagnoman, and on came Anrie Chase for his UEFA Champions League bow. Aged just 20 years, four months and 25 days, the defender is the sixth-youngest VfB player to make his debut in the competition.
Chase climbs above Tasci and Khedira
VfB managed to make it 1-1 after Chase’s introduction but eventually succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against a ruthless Madrid outfit. The youngster was involved in several challenges with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé, delivering a respectable performance on his first appearance in the competition. Chase joins a prominent group of former VfB debutants in the Champions League, overtaking the likes of Serdar Tasci and Sami Khedira in the list of youngest Stuttgart players to appear at Europe’s top table (see below).
Youngest VfB debutants in the UEFA Champions League
- – Manuel Fischer (18 years, 2 months, 24 days)
- – Mario Gomez (18 years, 8 month)
- – Sebastian Rudy (19 years, 3 months, 22 days)
- – Philipp Lahm (19 years, 10 month, 21 days)
- – Timo Gebhart (20 years, 4 month, 7 days)
- – Anrie Chase (20 years, 4 month, 25 days)
- – Serdar Tasci (20 years, 4 month, 27 days)
- – Sami Khedira (20 years, 5 month, 16 days)
- – Julian Schieber (20 years, 6 month, 6 days)
- – Andreas Beck (20 years, 7 month, 26 days)