Mikey Moore is seizing his chance to shine under the guidance of Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou, having made a splash during his full debut against Ferencvaros.
The precocious 17-year-old forward featured alongside three other youngsters - Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Will Lankshear - as they played key roles in Spurs' hard-fought 2-1 win at the Groupama Arena on Thursday.
Spurs fans have been tracking Moore's progress with growing enthusiasm for over a year, following his standout performances that helped secure two youth team cup victories in 2023, as well as his Under-21s debut at just 15.
Having already set a record as the youngest Tottenham player to play in the Premier League after coming on against Manchester City in May, Moore has been on an upward trajectory, amplified by a strong pre-season culminating in a landmark start in Budapest.
Moore quickly demonstrated his potential with a surging run assisting Pape Sarr for the 23rd-minute opener, before setting up Brennan Johnson's decisive goal with a perfectly timed pass to Dominic Solanke late in the game.
Speaking about his preparation for the match, Moore shared: "To be fair, I only knew about 4 o'clock...but I was ready. It is what you work for. Obviously there are a bit of nerves coming into it, but once you get on the pitch you are all right.
"It's a big step but it is one I am ready to take. It's been all right, all the boys have helped me and it's been perfect really so far."
Postecoglou's decision to start Moore in an intense European away match was a bold move, especially considering the youngster had only just turned 17 in August.
However, it proved to be a successful gamble, and Moore is now determined to repay his manager's trust, even if he may return to the bench for Sunday's match against Brighton after playing the full 90 minutes in Hungary.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Moore said: "He (Postecoglou) is giving me little tips all the time, really.
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"Him putting me in the team, you get the trust straight away so I am thankful for him to start me and put his trust in me. He is helping me all the time but so are all the coaching staff."
Moore's impressive performance drew comparisons to Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, but a more fitting comparison might be to Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, who is also 17 and has played alongside Moore in various England youth teams.
Postecoglou recalled: "The (wet) conditions, it always suits defenders because they can fly in with tackles and Mikey got one in the first 30 seconds I think.
"He kept his feet well and he takes the responsibility of driving inside or taking his man on, he makes good decisions with the ball.
"He's got so much growth still, but the good thing is he wants to learn, he wants to develop and I couldn't be happier for him, but also pretty pleased that he's part of our football club."