Abdul-Latif Pouget was riding a moped on Back Hill, near Farringdon station, just before 9.30pm on October 18.
Less than a minute later, a blue Ford estate driven by Oguzcan Dereli, of Islington, turned into the road and stopped alongside Abdul’s moped.
As he left the car, he had a large machete in his right hand and he ran straight over to Abdul who was still sat on his moped.
Dereli accidentally dropped his mobile phone moments before he struck the 20-year-old with his machete and then stabbed him to his thigh.
The stab severed an artery causing “instant massive blood loss” and Mr Pouget collapsed on the ground.
Previously, prosecutor Danny Robinson KC, said the defendant got back in the car with the machete and drove off, leaving the victim “fighting for his life”.
Members of the public and police officers rushed to help, and Abdul was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Royal London Hospital where he died the next day.
Following an Old Bailey trial, Dereli, 27 was found guilty of murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
On Tuesday Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC jailed Dereli for life with a minimum term of 24 years.
She told him: “We shall probably never know why you chose to get out of your car that night and run over and stab Mr Pouget.”
Abdul, who dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, was described in court as a “talented and gifted” player and a “role model”.
His mum Kawsar Pouget said: “Our beloved Abdul-Latif Pouget — known to us simply as Abs — had just turned 20, two months before the attack.
“His life was taken from us too early. He was young, intelligent and full of promise.
“Though he cannot speak for himself at this hearing, we are here to honour him and speak in his name.
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the emergency services, police, the hospital staff, the public who assisted him on that night and the local community who stood with us.
“You have been a ray of hope and support, and there are no words that can truly express our gratitude.
“It feels like every one of us has been stabbed and many of us – if given the chance – would have taken that wound ourselves if it had meant Abs could still be here.”
Details from the CCTV footage of the vehicle used in the incident proved that the car was registered to Dereli.
However, when officers went to arrest him he was not at his home address.
On the evening of October 19, Dereli and his partner were spotted checking into a hotel on Old Street, Shoreditch.
Officers approached the hotel, arresting Dereli and later charging him with murder the following day.
During the trial, Dereli said that he had the machete with him because it had been left in his car by a friend, and that he was planning to throw it in the canal when he saw Abdul.
The defendant’s claim to have stabbed Mr Pouget in self-defence was rejected by the jury.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “My thoughts and that of my team remain with Abdul’s family, a much loved brother, friend and neighbour.
“A young man has tragically died in a senseless and brutal way. I can only hope that this sentence can go some way in providing a sense of justice to Abdul’s family.”
