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Arsenal starlet Max Dowman enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a record breaking performance for England’s Under-17 side.
Neil Ryan’s side exited the European Championships despite a 4-2 win over Czechia after a late consolation goal resulted in England slipping back to third place into third place in Group B behind Belgium and Italy.
Despite the devastating blow, Dowman stole the headlines with another scintillating display, with his fifth minute goal the highlight.
Receiving possession close to the corner flag there appeared to be little danger but he completely fooled his marker by chopping back onto his left foot, before opening his body up and beating the keeper at his near post.
At 15 year, four months and 26 days, Dowman became the youngest ever scorer at the European Under-17 Championships, but there was more to come.
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Dropping deep to receive possession in the 15th minute, Dowman was able to show the full range of his skills by playing a stunning low pass inside Czechia’s right-back and presented Alejandro Rodriguez with a clear run on goal and the Lyon forward made no mistake.
Arsenal fans have become fully versed with Dowman’s potential over the course of the last nine months following his exploits for the club’s youth teams.
The teenager has trained regularly with the first team and was part of the squad which flew to Dubai for a warm weather training camp in January.
Mikel Arteta hinted he was willing to give the prodigious youngster a full debut amid an almost unprecedented injury crisis but was only prevented from doing so as a consequence of Premier League regulations.
Max Dowman is Arsenal's next young superstar
The secret is already well and truly out, Max Dowman is destined to become a first team regular before too long and a string of former players and current stars are aware of his talent…
Ashley Cole: ‘You heap this pressure on these players and I don’t think it’s fair,’ he added.
‘I bet every Arsenal fan is going, “Why is he [Dowman] not being more involved in the first-team? Why is he not getting a chance?”, but hold up.
‘He’s doing exams as well, by the way! Similar to Myles [Lewis-Skelly] but let’s relax a little bit and let time take its toll and hopefully they will get their opportunity and then everyone will know their name.’
John Terry: ‘We were playing against Arsenal recently and Max Dowman was playing. Have you seen him play? He is a top, top player.
‘He was taking the ball on the half turn, drifting away from players, looking back and a couple of our boys went and put it on him a little bit. It was good to see. But Dowman is a very, very good player.’
Declan Rice: ‘I have had so many texts about Max recently.
‘At 15, there is such a long way to go. You can be the best 15-year-old in the country, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be at 18.
‘So, you need to be hungry, keep working and keep pushing.
‘I speak to Max a lot and he has got such a good family around him.
‘He is unreal.’
Still, it appears it won’t be long before Dowman is given an opportunity to become the competition’s youngster player, a record currently held by his teammate Ethan Nwaneri who has made a stellar breakthrough over the course of the last 12 months.
‘I think Max, probably, will be in and around the pre-season,’ said Arteta, speaking after Sunday’s win over Southampton when asked about his plans for the latest gem to come off the Hale End Academy production line.
‘Obviously he’s got a very busy schedule as well in the summer, because he is in a tournament at the moment and he’s going to need some rest.
‘And we will pick another few from the academy as well to be in and around the team and hopefully get a nice, beautiful surprise again.’
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