"Yeah, 100%." That was Rio Ngumoha's answer, quoted by liverpoolecho.co.uk, when he was asked if he believes he can win the Ballon d'Or. At 18, and while with England at the Tottenham Hotspur training ground, it is a striking thing to say. It also fits the way the Liverpool winger is talking about his game, his pathway and the trust he feels around him.

Ngumoha is the youngest player in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad, and Harry Kane is 15 years older than him. So the gap between where he is now and what he says he wants is obvious. Still, the point of his comments is not caution. It is belief, and he is being unusually open about it.

The ambition is the story

Quoted by liverpoolecho.co.uk, Ngumoha said: "Yeah, 100%. Harry Kane winning the Ballon d'Or is definitely a big, big thing, being known as the best player in the world. It's also helped English football now because everyone's seen one of us win the Ballon d’Or, it is definitely encouraging many more people to wanting to definitely be known as the best player in the world. For me, I would like to achieve it and I think I can do it."

Young players often talk about targets in softer language. Ngumoha did not do that. His view is that elite ambition has to be stated first, then chased.

He made the same point in a different way when discussing mentality. Speaking to liverpoolecho.co.uk, Ngumoha said: "I feel like if you don't visualise anything or you don't dream big enough, then you might not ever achieve it. So I think just having the belief and the force in your mind thinking, one day I can play for England."

There is still a lot of football to play before anyone should get carried away. His senior numbers are early-stage numbers: 8 Premier League appearances, 203 minutes, 4 Champions League appearances and 2 assists in that competition. But those details also explain why the confidence is not completely detached from reality. He is already getting minutes in two major competitions, and the European output has been more tangible than the league one so far.

Liverpool's pathway and England's trust

Part of Ngumoha's confidence comes from feeling he made the right move. He left Chelsea's academy before joining Liverpool, and while reports differ on the exact age attached to that switch, Ngumoha's account is consistent on the bigger point. He felt he needed a different route.

Speaking to liverpoolecho.co.uk, he said: "I feel like I needed a new challenge."

He then added: "I feel like if I stayed at Chelsea - not saying that I wouldn't have got to the first team as quick, because I believe in my ability, but I feel like Liverpool just gave me a new pathway. The plan that they set for me was straightforward really."

That is probably the most revealing part of the story. The Ballon d'Or line grabs attention, but players usually become this outspoken when they feel the ground under them is solid. Ngumoha clearly thinks Liverpool have given him that. The club are fourth in the Premier League with 18 points from 10 games, so these appearances are not coming in a low-pressure environment.

The same applies with England. Ngumoha said of Tuchel, quoted by standard.co.uk: "He knows I’m quite talented, which is good. Every time I come on he lets me be expressive, be free. I have the belief from him."

For an 18-year-old winger, that may be the most important line of all. Freedom matters for wide players, and so does trust from the coach picking the squad. With England facing Croatia and Spain in the current Nations League window, and Bukayo Saka out injured, Ngumoha could yet get an even bigger chance than expected.

What comes next for Ngumoha

The sensible reading is that Ngumoha's rise is still at the beginning, not that he has already arrived. But the mix is clear enough: he has first-team exposure at Liverpool, early Champions League end product, and a level of self-belief that he is not interested in hiding.

A lot of teenagers say they dream big. Fewer already have 8 Premier League appearances, 203 top-flight minutes and 2 Champions League assists while saying it. England's Nations League games against Croatia and Spain are his next chance to show the confidence is backed by progress.

FAQ

Can Rio Ngumoha really become a Ballon d'Or contender?

Ngumoha certainly believes so. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he said he would like to win the Ballon d'Or and thinks he can do it. Right now the case is built more on mentality, opportunity and early exposure than on huge senior numbers, but he already has 8 Premier League appearances, 203 league minutes, 4 Champions League outings and 2 assists in Europe.

Why did Rio Ngumoha leave Chelsea for Liverpool?

Ngumoha said he needed a new challenge and felt Liverpool offered him a new pathway. He left Chelsea's academy before joining Liverpool, and he framed the move as a route that gave him a clearer plan towards first-team football rather than a rejection of his own ability.

How important is England to Rio Ngumoha's development?

England looks like a major part of his next step. Ngumoha is the youngest player in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad, and he said Tuchel lets him be expressive and free. With Bukayo Saka injured, he could also have a chance to start against Croatia in the current Nations League window.

What has Rio Ngumoha done for Liverpool so far this season?

He is still breaking through rather than starting every week, but the numbers are real. Ngumoha has made 8 Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season and played 203 league minutes. He has also appeared 4 times in the Champions League and already produced 2 assists there.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →