Post by : Meena Ariff

Arsenal's 15-year-old Max Dowman etched his name in the record books on Tuesday, becoming the youngest player ever to feature in the UEFA Champions League. At 15 years and 308 days, the academy product entered as a second-half substitute during Arsenal's 3–0 triumph over Slavia Prague.

He displaced Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko, who had held the mark since 2020 after appearing at 16 years and 18 days. The milestone arrives soon after Dowman became the second-youngest debutant in Premier League history, trailing only teammate Ethan Nwaneri following his August appearance against Leeds United.

Dowman has already been exposed to senior competition, including a league outing at Liverpool and two Carabao Cup appearances this season. Against Slavia Prague he replaced Leandro Trossard in the 72nd minute, with Arsenal's three-goal advantage intact.

Manager Mikel Arteta praised Dowman's natural qualities, saying: “You can't teach it — you either have it or you don't. Whatever is written on the passport, if you can adapt and perform at this level, that's what matters.”

Born in Chelmsford, Essex, Dowman entered Arsenal's youth system at age five in May 2015. The left-footed attacking midfielder debuted for the under-18s at 13 and became the youngest scorer in the UEFA Youth League at 14, milestones that accelerated his path into senior training.

He started training with Arsenal's first team later that year and featured on the club's preseason tour in Asia, appearing in friendlies against AC Milan and Newcastle United.

Premier League rules require players under 18 to use separate changing facilities, and Dowman has been juggling that regulation with his schooling. He has recently returned to classes in Essex after the summer break while continuing his football development.

Before Dowman's appearance, Moukoko held the youngest Champions League record, which had surpassed a 26-year-old benchmark set by Célestine Babayaro, who featured for Anderlecht at 16 years and 86 days in 1994.

Dowman's breakthrough underscores Arsenal's emphasis on nurturing young talent and points to a promising future for both the player and the club.

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