- Manchester United 14-year-old star
- One of the future
- Stars in international debut
Manchester United may have another star of the future on their hands. Whilst the likes of JJ Gabriel and Noah Ajayi have dazzled supporters across the past year, United also possess a hugely exciting 14-year-old talent in Ben Lyne.
Not turning 15 until 3 July, Lyne has already featured on the international stage for Ireland, scoring on his debut in a 4-0 win over Latvia. It will still be some time before anyone seriously talks about first-team football, and whether he even reaches that level remains to be seen.
That said, there is already a growing feeling that Lyne could move up an age group next season and feature with United’s U18’s, similarly to what Gabriel has done this year.
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Lyne’s Bright Future
United’s U15’s lifted the Floodlit Shield Cup after defeating Crystal Palace 2-1 in the final. Lyne, unsurprisingly, stole much of the attention.
The 14-year-old delivered a superb performance throughout the match, with conflicting reports debating his exact goal and assist tally, but one thing remained clear—Lyne scored the winner late on to bring the trophy back to Carrington.
The young United side fell behind shortly before half-time after a brilliant strike from Palace’s Ja’Shaun, who curled an effort home from 20 yards in the 40th minute.
United responded well after the break, levelling the match through Murdock in the 70th minute.
With the game drifting towards penalties, five additional minutes were added on. Then, in the 84th minute—U15 football operates with 40-minute halves—Lyne delivered the decisive moment, firing home the winner and crushing Palace hearts in the process.
Already Playing Internationally.
Despite only being 14, Lyne is already beginning to leave his mark on the international stage. The youngster recently made his debut for Ireland in a 4-0 victory over Latvia, opening the scoring in the 27th minute.
That result pushed Ireland to the top of the UEFA U16 Development Tournament standings after they had previously drawn 3-3 with Finland and beaten Iceland 5-1. Lyne has also featured prominently for United’s U16 side this season.
During the U16 Hudl Wyscout International Cup, United navigated a difficult group containing FC Groningen, Girona, Wycombe Wanderers, and Valencia, eventually finishing third.
United only managed two wins in the group stage, but Lyne scored the decisive goal in both victories against Wycombe and Valencia, single-handedly securing six points for his side.
That finish pushed United into a crossover bracket alongside Wycombe, Birmingham City, and Gimnastic de Tarragona.
United dispatched Gimnastic de Tarragona in the semi-finals through goals from Jodie Nganga and Pharell Silvestre before edging past Birmingham City on penalties in the final, although Lyne did not feature in either match.
At 14 years old, though, he has already shown more than enough to suggest United may have another serious talent emerging through Carrington.
