What’s football without a new kid on the block? Move over Lamine Yamal, a new superstar is in town.
Max Dowman is taking the world by storm after making his first team debut at 15 years of age. His 70 minutes against Brighton in the Carabao Cup may not have resulted in a goal or an assist, but his first start for Arsenal made the world sit up and take notice.
Dowman, who doesn’t turn 16 till December, has already been making headlines with former players and current coaches pipping him as the next big thing in world football.
The left-footed attacking midfielder, who can also play as a right winger, is swift, agile, unbelievably strong for his age and possesses the ability to take on and glide past defenders whether on the touchline or in the middle of the park.
Dowman, born to Arsenal-supporting parents in 2009, was roped in by the family’s dream club in 2015 at age 5. Since then, he has been punching above his weight and breaking into senior age-group teams on a regular basis.
Records go tumbling
At just 13, Dowman made his debut for the Arsenal U18s in 2023. By 2024, he was making history and headlines. In 2024, he became the youngest goalscorer in the UEFA Youth League’s history, scoring for the Arsenal U18s at just 14 years 8 months and 19 days.
The Premier League 2 record of being the youngest scorer was the next to shatter, with Dowman scoring for the Arsenal U21s at 15 years of age. For England, too, Dowman has been excellent.
He holds the record for being the youngest goalscorer for England U19s in September 2025 vs Ukraine.
What makes Max Dowman tick?
Dowman possesses the rare ability to dribble past players naturally without breaking a sweat. It’s just the way he carries the ball that draws defenders into tackles. For example, when Dowman came on as a substitute for Arsenal in their pre-season friendly against Newcastle, the game was stretched at 2-2.
A few minutes after entering the field, Dowman took on Joelinton inside the Newcastle penalty area. Joelinton is a regular starter for Newcastle and a Premier League veteran. Dowman completely wrong footed the 6 ft 1 inch Brazilian, forced the tackle and earned the penalty which skipper Martin Odegaard converted to win the match.
In another preseason game against Villareal, Dowman replicated the same hunger and was rewarded with another spot-kick. On his Premier League debut against Leeds United too, history repeated itself as he was fouled inside the penalty box.
Dowman’s decision-making is another factor behind his rapid rise. For a 15-year old, the maturity he possesses when making decisions on a football field is rare. His ability to judge defenders’ movements makes him stand apart.
Praise about Dowman
From coaches to teammates, Dowman has endeared himself to everyone at the club and beyond in a short period of time.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta told reporters a few days ago: “For him everything is natural… He just does what he does best, which is to play football with a lot of courage and determination.”
Another teammate, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes, shed light on what it is like to have Dowman training with the senior team every day.
“I think Max as well,” Gabriel said when asked about who the most skillful footballer on training is on the Arsenal team. “This guy is unbelievable! … I’ve never seen anything like him on the pitch,” he added.
Liverpool ex-striker Peter Crouch went a step further when asked about Dowman. “He plays like – obviously this is a ridiculous statement – but … the way he plays is like [Lionel] Messi,” Crouch said.
Arsenal Academy’s excellent work
Arsenal have had one of the best academies in England for a long time. The Hale End has produced some of the best talent the country possesses. With names like Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe coming out of the academy in recent years, the work of the coaches have paid off.
In the 2024-25 season, Myles Lewis Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri broke into the Arsenal first team. Lewis Skelly, in a single season, is a regular name on the England senior national team squad at just 18 years old.
Max Dowman is the latest phenomenon from the famed academy, but certainly not the last.
What’s next for Max Dowman?
Because he is so young, Dowman is not eligible to sign a professional contract yet. However, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Arsenal have successfully tied him down to a scholarship deal till he turns 17. Dowman has also reportedly agreed to a professional contract when he turns 17 in December 2026.
Talking about how the club plans to manage Dowman, Mikel Arteta said: “If we looked at his passport every day we would never play him – simple as that. So it is finding a balance and an understanding – especially the load, the things that are changing in his life, and making sure he can cope with that. So far, he has done that.”
Long way to go
Although Max Dowman has got everything he needs to succeed at the professional stage from the right environment to top coaches, a lot can go wrong for young football players in the blink of an eye.
A bad injury, external provocations and the financial boost can easily deviate the path of a talented footballer from greatness to despair.
So far, it looks like Max Dowman is on the right track. If he can remain on that path and keep his head down, the world will see a new superstar rise to greatness in just a few years.