Brian Madjo: The precocious Aston Villa forward who models his game on Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski

Born in Enfield, London, Madjo made it to the Premier League via Luxembourg, having relocated there with his family as a child. It was there that his natural gifts first came to light, though his rapid development created a dilemma for local coaches.

By his early teens, the rising star already towered over his peers. Fearing his physical advantage would prevent him from developing in key areas of his game, Manuel Cardoni, the technical director of the Luxembourg Football Federation, stepped in to suggest coaches pull Madjo out of the forward line and play him in midfield instead.

Swarmed by opponents in the middle of the park, Madjo couldn't simply outmuscle them but had to consider his options, learn how to control the ball with both feet and improve his passing.

The change had a tremendous effect. Spotting his combination of power and refined technique, French club Metz snapped him up in 2023, rapidly accelerating his progression.

As a 15-year-old playing against players up to four years older, Madjo tore up the French U19 league with 13 goals in 26 matches during the 2024–25 season.

"He outclassed [everyone] in the U19s," recalled Metz manager Stephane Le Mignan. "He has an advanced body for his age, so he is able to meet the physical demands."

His rise was so overwhelming that Luxembourg national team refused to wait for him to be tested in Ligue 1. In March 2025, just two months after celebrating his 16th birthday, Madjo pulled on the Luxembourg jersey for his senior debut in a friendly against Sweden.

Despite already going toe-to-toe with senior international defenders, however, he still had to wait five months for his first professional showing for Metz.

Madjo made his Ligue 1 debut in August last year, starting in the matches against Strasbourg and Lyon. To ensure his development didn't stall, Metz split his minutes between the first team and their reserve team in the Championnat National 3, where he displayed his clinical edge by scoring twice against Neuilly-sur-Marne in November.

Only three more brief Ligue 1 appearances would follow, but his youth team exploits had made his potential obvious to scouts around Europe. Metz couldn't hold onto him. Aston Villa came calling with a €12 million offer and he agreed to relocate to Birmingham.

Despite Madjo being born in England, Villa were prevented from registering him due to FIFA regulations prohibiting the international transfer of under 18s. Since Madjo had already represented the Luxembourg national team, it was viewed by FIFA as an international transfer. The teenager was barred from representing the club until his 18th birthday in January 2027.

Stuck in limbo, the forward took to social media to vent his frustration. He reposted an Instagram story of himself with a succinct, desperate caption: "free my dawg".

Unwilling to wait, Villa escalated the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In July, the club appealed the decision, and the following month CAS ruled in their favour, clearing Madjo to play just days before his explosive UEFA Super Cup debut.

The comparison that keeps popping up regarding Madjo is with ex-Chelsea and Inter striker Lukaku, but to linger on that does a disservice to the youngster’s array of talents.

"His profile is similar," admits Luxembourg FA director Cardoni. "But, even if we are keeping our feet on the ground, Brian has a more complete profile [than Lukaku], because he is good in tight spaces, really good in terms of positional play. He is also good in terms of going in behind, and he can also feed the ball with both feet. He has huge room for growth."

That technical refinement may be due to Cardoni’s decision to force him to play in central midfield.

When asked if he actually enjoyed that U14 midfield stint, Madjo laughed. "Not really, but anyway... I had to prepare myself to play against senior players who are the same size as me. At that level, you can't just rely on your natural strength. You have to have other strengths."

It helped mould him into a well-rounded forward. Instead of chasing goals, Madjo prides himself on his off-the-ball movement and pressing.

"First, with my back to goal, I focus on deflections, but also on playing forward," he said of his strengths. "I try to have vision and game intelligence. I'd rather have a good game and not score than score and lose possession all the time. The team comes first."

His ability to hold onto the ball left a lasting impression on Luxembourg legend and former Metz striker Nico Braun, who was stunned upon the teenager’s arrival in France.

"I saw footage, I saw him shielding the ball, I saw his ball control, which he does like no one else at Metz," Braun said. "I saw how early you have to get up to take that ball from him, and I can’t imagine anything else but this: he’s going to have a great career!"

While Madjo embraces the Lukaku comparisons by frequently watching clips of the Belgian before matches, he has modelled his game on others. He said he analyses the movement of Brian Brobbey, Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema, constantly looking to add new dimensions to a game that is already terrifying senior defenders.

The London native is aware that his raw talent offers no guarantee of Premier League stardom with Villa. When asked about his weaknesses, the teenager said: "My technique, which I'm trying to improve, my left foot too, but also my mobility to be more agile,"

While he highlighted his left foot as a primary area that needs improvement, it was that ‘weak’ foot he used to blast past PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov in the UEFA Super Cup.

Madjo has dedicated extra hours with physical trainers to enhance his mobility despite the challenges his 6’4” frame poses. Considering his close control and ability to drop deep, increasing his agility would allow him to further unsettle defenders and make him more of a threat.

Despite his heroics in Salzburg, Aston Villa fans will have to wait a little longer to see him take to the field in the Premier League. In a frustrating injury blow for Unai Emery’s squad, he has been ruled out for the start of the domestic campaign, possibly until September.

Fans will be eagerly awaiting his return. His UEFA Super Cup debut perfectly encapsulated his strength, persistence and finishing ability.

While there were signs of inexperience in the form of heavy touches, headers that missed the target, and the lost ball that let Khvicha Kvaratskhelia create PSG’s opener, there were more than enough positives.

His goal made him the youngest scorer in UEFA Super Cup history at just 17 years and 212 days old – a phenomenal way to begin your career.

Following the 2-1 defeat to Luis Enrique’s men, Villa manager Emery was full of praise for Madjo, saying: "The experience [Madjo and George Hemmings] will gain from an evening like this will be very important. They showed that they learn quickly and that they work hard."

Having grown up in Luxembourg and remarkably represented the landlocked nation at senior international level, the prodigy has now switched his allegiance to the country of his birth, currently turning out for the England U17s.

For now, it is an anxious wait for his injury to heal before Emery can finally unleash the Three Lions hopeful on Premier League defences.