Enzo Maresca demonstrated his trust in Chelsea’s young talents by handing 17-year-old Shumaira Mheuka a place in the starting lineup against FC Copenhagen.

The teenager led the attack in the first leg of the Europa Conference League Round of 16 clash on Thursday, March 6, marking a historic moment for the club.

Mheuka, at 17 years and 137 days old, officially became Chelsea’s youngest-ever starter in a major European competition, surpassing the previous record held by Joel Kitamirike, who started at 17 years and 196 days in 2001.

Before this match, Mheuka had made two senior appearances for Chelsea this season, accumulating just 13 minutes of game time. His inclusion in the starting XI signals Maresca’s willingness to integrate academy talents into the first team.