Arsenal youngster Max Dowman has been impressing for the Gunners in the Champions League, Premier League and the Carabao Cup this season.
The Gunners continued their perfect start to the Champions League season, by beating Slavia Prague 3-0 on Tuesday night. Two goals came from Mikel Merino, who was standing in for Viktor Gyokeres up front, and the other from Bukayo Saka.
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But, perhaps the biggest talking point was 15-year-old Max Dowman, who came on in the 72nd minute of the game for Jurrien Timber. He looked excellent on the Champions League stage, and it begs the question of just how good is he already at the age of 15. Even more impressively, he became the youngest player to appear in a Champions League game, in the competition’s history.
The midfielder has made five appearances for the Gunners this season, even managing to record an assist in the Premier League. He looks as good as, and as mature as any mid-20s player, and has been tipped to become a future superstar for both Arsenal, and England.
It begs the question of whether England boss Thomas Tuchel should consider calling him up to the World Cup squad, alongside fellow Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Tuchel told not to call up Arsenal wonderkid
Despite his impressive performances so far this season, Tuchel has been told not to call Dowman up to the England squad, as it has been said that 15 is just that bit too young.
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara hailed Dowman’s ability, but said it is too early for him to be thinking about the World Cup. He said on Sky Sports News: “It’s too early [for an England call-up]. He’s a young kid, and look, Max Dowman is going to be a future England star, we know that, but you can’t be bringing up a 15 year-old to go and play at the World Cup.
“He’s got so many attributes, but I think you need to protect the kid as well. I think he’s at an amazing football club in Arsenal in terms of being able to protect him and give him the platform to go and progress and get better as a player, but I wouldn’t be throwing him in the lime light of the England squad just yet, no way.”
Who is the youngest England player?
In terms of the youngest player to ever be called up to an England squad, it was former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott, who made his England debut aged 17 years and 75 days in May 2006, before the World Cup in Germany to which he was selected.
He is ahead of Wayne Rooney, who was 17 and 111 days, and Jude Bellingham, who was 17 and 136 days. The fact that Dowman has been mentioned for England, and he is only 15, shows just how good people think that the 15-year-old Arsenal star can become in the future.
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