Manchester United forward JJ Gabriel, 15, scored a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut on Thursday, becoming the competition's youngest-ever player to score three goals in a match. Gabriel netted the treble for United's Under 21s against Sabah, surpassing the record previously held by Rayan Cherki, now of Manchester City, and reaching the milestone at 15 years and 339 days old.
His first goal was instinctive. The ball ricocheted off a defender following an initial effort from team-mate Nathanial Junior Brown, and Gabriel took it on his chest before volleying home with his right foot. His second came from intricate footwork inside the box, as he skipped past defenders to meet a pass from Amir Ibragimov and found the bottom corner.
The third arrived when Jim Thwaites played a ball over the top to Gabriel, who had drifted in from the left, allowing him to run clear and lift the ball over the goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick and claim the match ball. At full-time, he scooped the ball out of the net, strode over to team-mate Yuel Helafu, tossed it into the air and flashed a smile.
Thursday's treble continued a pattern of headline-making performances. Gabriel scored on his competitive debut for United at Old Trafford, netting in front of the Stretford End in the FA Youth Cup to become the club's youngest-ever scorer in that competition. He also impressed away at Oxford United, a performance witnessed by Daily Mail Sport's Oliver Holt.
Nike's long-term bet on Gabriel
Gabriel has 840,000 followers on Instagram, more than the official accounts of Ipswich Town or Coventry City. Nike secured his signature ahead of competition from Adidas and has tracked him as a top-tier talent since he was 10 years old. In one meeting, Nike executives described him as "next in line to Cristiano Ronaldo's throne" as the face of their Mercurial boot brand, an assessment made before he had played a match at Under-18 level.
Team-mates and coaches full of praise
"He's a scary talent," one youth football source said. "Players cannot get near him, it's remarkable. He's got the chance to be one of the best players this country has ever produced," said another, speaking after Gabriel's Under 21s debut earlier this season, in which he scored from outside the box, lifting the ball over the Ipswich Town goalkeeper, and added two assists.
During one recent training session, £50million summer signing Andrey Santos was seen with his hands on his head as he watched Gabriel's technique in a small-sided drill. First-team players including Bryan Mbeumo, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes have also taken the teenager under their wing.
"He's often with us in training and you can feel and see that he's got something special," Mbeumo said earlier this year. "Everything is easy for him. He has a lot of composure in front of goal, he has a good shot, and he's technically strong."
The push for a Carabao Cup debut
Gabriel's matches for the Under 21s are played at Leigh Sports Village, where crowds rarely exceed a hundred people. Michael Carrick, the former United midfielder, is a regular attendee, along with his assistant Steve Holland, director of football Jason Wilcox, head of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves and recruitment chief Christopher Vivell.
It was Wilcox and Hargreaves who intervened in June 2025 to ensure United did not lose one of Europe's most gifted young players, a meeting first revealed by Daily Mail Sport. The pathway to the first team was laid out to Gabriel and his family, with United's senior coaching staff already well aware of the teenager by that point.
Questions are now being asked over whether the 15-year-old should be included in United's matchday squad for Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie against Brighton & Hove Albion. Gabriel does not turn 16 until October 6, meaning he has time to become United's youngest-ever player, a record held by goalkeeper David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he made his debut for the club in 1956.
'It's my job not to ruin him'
Under 21s manager Adam Lawrence, who also takes charge of the Under 19s in the Youth League, said protecting Gabriel's development was central to his coaching approach. "It's my job not to ruin him," Lawrence said. "When you have a talented player like JJ and the other lads, of course, you don't want to stifle their freedom and their creativity. I try to set the team up to allow the talent to function and to play free at the right moments. It's enjoyable working with him and challenging as a coach because the best players challenge you, in a good way. Of course there's things he can keep working on, but he's in a real good place."
Gabriel recently deleted all photos from his Instagram account, prompting speculation online. Those close to him say the move was simply to remove distractions from his football. United legend Ryan Giggs recently called Gabriel a "generational talent", while former defender Rio Ferdinand described his ability as "ridiculous" to comprehend.
Coaches dismiss attitude criticism
Gabriel joined United's academy at the age of nine, and while some outside the club have questioned his attitude, coaches who work with him daily reject the criticism. Under 18s manager Darren Fletcher said: "JJ's an amazing talent and his enthusiasm for football, that he brings to the pitch every day to learn, want to play, be on the ball, he's been a pleasure to work with. He's a fantastic kid. He's desperate to do better, to improve, to learn. He takes constructive criticism fantastically and I've got a great relationship with him."
Carrick has also praised the teenager, describing him as "one of the boys". United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe watched Gabriel score in a Premier League Cup match at the club's Carrington training ground last season. Ratcliffe has said he wants United to develop their own superstars, comparing the ambition to producing a player like Kylian Mbappe rather than signing the finished article.
Academy director Stephen Torpey said the club's approach was built around individuality. "It's not for us to create robots here," Torpey said. "It's for us to allow individuals to flourish and express themselves."
