- 23 hours ago
14-year-old Arsenal wonderkid breaks European record
Jacque Talbot
- Updated: 19 Sept 2024 14:58 BST
- 5 min read
Arsenal youngster Max Dowman has just broken two European records after being selected for their UEFA Youth League match today.
The Gunners got their campaign away this afternoon against Atalanta Under-19s. Reporter Jeorge Bird has relayed that Dowman started start the opening fixture - even though he is just 14 years old.
It means that the teenager has become Arsenal's youngest-ever player in the competition. Not only this, but Dowman became the youngest scorer - netting against the Italian club's youth outfit in his Youth League debut.
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Dowman has represented Arsenal Under-18s nine times this year and featured in the England Under-17s over the international break. So far in this campaign, Dowman has had two assists and a goal in six appearances for the club and country.
He made his debut for Arsenal's Under-18s last year when he was 13 years old, being developed by academy head coach Jack Wilshere.
Jack Wilshere wants to fast-track Max Dowman
In 2023/24 season, Dowman provided four assists as Arsenal beat Fulham 5-2 in the Premier League 2. Wilshere said after the contest: "We had a blend of players spanning from under-14s to under-18s. It's always intriguing to see how they play together, how they fight together, and today, I felt we witnessed that in abundance..
"It's reassuring to know that if I field an under-14 who isn't a regular in our training sessions, I can trust that they grasp our playing style and tactics. Today, they demonstrated that understanding flawlessly, which is a testament to the diligent work of all our coaches."
He continued: "There’s always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can."
"Hopefully, we can fast-track him and when he goes over to the first team he’ll be more ready."
