Belgian teen comes close but Nwankwo Kanu’s 31-year Klassieker record stands after Ajax derby win

Nwankwo Kanu’s long-standing record as the youngest goalscorer in De Klassieker remains intact after Ajax’s 2-0 win over Feyenoord on Sunday, despite a brilliant late strike from Belgian teenager Jorthy Mokio, Soccernet.ng reports.

Mokio, with a dramatic stoppage-time strike that sealed the win, came agonisingly close to rewriting history.

Kanu remains the youngest goalscorer in the history of De Klassieker, Dutch football’s fiercest rivalry between Ajax and Feyenoord.

On March 27, 1994, the Nigerian forward was just 17 years and 238 days old when he scored for Ajax in a 2-1 defeat in Rotterdam. Mokio, despite his brilliance, was 51 days older, 17 years and 289 days, when he struck on Sunday.

That slender margin is all that separates Mokio from a piece of history Kanu carved out as a teenager still learning the rhythms of European football.

Today, Jorthy Mokio became the 2nd youngest goalscorer in a Klassieker match in Eredivisie history, after the legend Nwankwo Kanu in 1994.

Mokio's goal sealed the win for Ajax in the 90+4′ minute and the scenes at the Johan Cruijff ArenA were ecstatic.

Looks like Ajax have… pic.twitter.com/EekA8Yd4tF

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) December 14, 2025

Kanu’s confident finish in the 31st minute announced the arrival of a player who already looked comfortable on the biggest stage. Though Feyenoord rallied through John de Wolf and a Ruud Heus penalty to win the match, the night belonged to the teenage Nigerian.

At that age, Kanu became the youngest scorer the Klassieker had ever seen, a record that has now withstood more than three decades of generational change.

Arriving in Amsterdam in 1993 fresh from captaining Nigeria to U17 World Cup glory, Kanu quickly became a symbol of Ajax’s faith in youth.

By the time Inter Milan signed him in 1996 for around $4.7 million, he had already won three Eredivisie titles, the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup; all before turning 20.

His subsequent career at Inter, Arsenal, West Brom and Portsmouth only deepened his legacy, but it was in Ajax colours that the foundations were laid.

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Nwankwo Kanu's record remembered as Ajax dominate historic derby

If Kanu’s record framed the narrative, Ajax’s authority shaped the match.

In the club’s landmark 200th Klassieker, the hosts delivered a controlled and convincing performance at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

Caretaker coach Fred Grim made bold tactical calls, restoring Ko Itakura to centre-back and trusting a youthful midfield trio of Youri Regeer, Davy Klaassen and Sean Steur.

Feyenoord, under Robin van Persie, made three changes after a draining Europa League defeat, but it was Ajax who settled quicker.

‘ -’ Davy Klaassen opent de score in De Klassieker van afstand #ajafey pic.twitter.com/IPwS7j85o5

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) December 14, 2025

The breakthrough arrived in the 13th minute when Davy Klaassen fired home from distance, registering the 31st Eredivisie goal of his career and giving Ajax early command.

Ajax dominated the first half, with Kasper Dolberg and Sean Steur stretching Feyenoord’s back line. Steur came close to his first senior goal, only to be denied by a desperate clearance. Feyenoord threatened sporadically, but Timon Wellenreuther was repeatedly called into action to keep the visitors in touch.

After the break, Ayase Ueda wasted Feyenoord’s clearest opening, dragging wide, while Ajax continued to create through Oscar Gloukh and substitutes Kian Fitz-Jim and Mika Godts.

As Feyenoord pushed late in search of an equaliser, gaps opened. In the 94th minute, Jorthy Mokio exploited one of them, drilling home to spark wild celebrations, and place his name just beneath Kanu’s in the history books.

Ajax claimed a third straight derby win, their fourth consecutive victory in all competitions. Feyenoord, meanwhile, slipped further, losing seven of their last ten games, as PSV extended their lead at the top to nine points.