**Lionel Messi is more than in position to judge what makes a top player and he’s named his top ten youngsters destined for superstardom, including one Arsenal talent.**
Messi has finally called time on his international career and will now focus on his club football with Inter Miami before picking his next career move.
Over the years, Messi has played with and against some of the very best players in the world and having been at Barcelona for so long and come through their famous La Masia academy, he knows the qualities a youngster needs.
And interestingly for Arsenal, Messi has named one of their current squad as a top ten player of the future.
Everyone at Arsenal already knows that they have a real gem on their hands in the form of [Max Dowman](https://www.arsenalinsider.com/tag/max-dowman/).
Dowman has already surpassed [Ethan Nwaneri](https://www.arsenalinsider.com/tag/emerson-nwaneri/) as the next big hope from the academy and at just 16, he is already getting game time and inclusions in the first-team squad regularly.
Indeed, according to Lionel Messi, Dowman is one of ten young players who look destined to have a superstar career.
Speaking in a video package for Adidas recently, Messi was asked to write down his top ten prospects for the future. And in a mixed list of young men and women in the game, Messi included Dowman as one to watch.
Dowman was one of two Premier League players to get a mention from Messi, who also picked Crystal Palace youngster Zavier Gozo.
For Dowman, this is essentially the ultimate endorsement. Getting praise and being picked out by someone like Messi can only encourage him further.
Put simply, if this drives Dowman on to become even better, then it’s Arsenal who will benefit.