FBL-EUR-C1-SLAVIA PRAGUE-ARSENAL
Max Dowman made history as he came on for Arsenal in Prague (Picture: Getty Images)
Max Dowman became the youngest player in Champions League history when he came on for Arsenal against Slavia Prague and Mikel Arteta says the wonderkid has a trait that cannot be taught.
The teenage talent came off the bench on Tuesday night during the 3-0 Champions League win for the Gunners.
At just 15 years and 308 days old, he is the youngest player to make an appearance in the competition, beating the record previously held by Youssoufa Moukoko who played for Borussia Dortmund at 16 years and 18 days.
Dowman has already made two Premier League appearances and another two in the Carabao Cup, gaining incredible experience for a player who does not turn 16 until December 31.
It was also an exciting evening for another Arsenal youngster as 17-year-old Andre Harriman-Annous made his Champions League debut when he replaced Declan Rice late on.
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It is Dowman who is grabbing the headlines, though, with Arteta saying it is his courageous personality that is not something that can be learned.
‘The first thing he does is he comes on and takes people on and starts to dribble and gets a foul,’ the Arsenal boss said, via the BBC.
SK Slavia Praha v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4
Dowman seems to get fouled a lot (Picture: Getty Images)
‘That is personality and that is courage, you cannot teach that – you have it or you don’t.’
Dowman appears to be very adept at drawing free-kicks, which Arteta puts down to the timing of the youngster who he feels is going to be a ‘massive player’ in Arsenal’s future.
‘The way he plays he attracts a lot of contact,’ said the Spaniard on TNT Sports. ‘He’s so good at timing the right moment to move the ball, when the opponent makes the next step. We have a massive player there.’
He added: ‘It doesn’t get any harder than this competition. Really happy to see them with us on this journey and hopefully they will continue to improve.’
SK Slavia Praha v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4
Andre Harriman-Annous and Max Dowman enjoy a special night (Picture: Getty Images)
The 3-0 victory was about as routine as they come in the Champions League, with Bukayo Saka scoring a penalty on 32 minutes and Mikel Merino scoring twice in the second half.
Merino was filling in up front as Arsenal are struggling with injuries to Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.
There were also changes to the starting XI with Ethan Nwaneri, Piero Hincapie and Christian Norgaard getting chances to impress.
Arteta told a post-match press conference: ‘I’m very happy obviously with the win, four in a row without conceding a goal. It’s a really tough place to come.
‘I told the boys the game that we had to expect – a team that is super intense, very direct, man to man, some very short sequences of play, a lot of fouls, a lot of restarts and very difficult to get any fluency in the match, but if we are patient and emotionally controlled, we’re going to have our chances with the way they set up. And we did that.
‘I think the margin at the end, it looked comfortable, but I don’t think it was a comfortable match at all.
‘And not only the win [made me happy], but also the fact that we had some players that haven’t played much, playing, performing really well.
‘Mikel stepping up as a nine and scoring two goals. Max making his debut, probably the youngest ever and Andre as well – so a lot of positives tonight.’
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