Mikel Arteta believes Max Dowman’s persona and braveness on the pitch is unteachable – after the 15-year-old made historical past to develop into the youngest-ever Champions League participant.
Dowman was launched as an alternative in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Slavia Prague within the Champions League – turning into the primary participant of his age to play in Europe’s premier membership competitors at 15 years and 308 days previous.
It got here six days after he grew to become Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter in a stunning Carabao Cup show in opposition to Brighton.
Within the Czech Republic, Dowman instantly gained a foul off a defender after his first touches of the ball and the Arsenal supervisor says age is only a quantity in terms of the ahead.
“What he is completed on the pitch – he is available in, the primary ball he takes is he takes individuals on, he begins to dribble and will get a foul,” mentioned Arteta.
“That is persona, that is braveness – and you can not educate that. You’ve got it or you do not.
Dowman is the Champions League’s first 15-year-old participant
“And it doesn’t matter what his passport says. You throw him in this context and he is able to adapt and have a good performance.”
Subsequent Up: Contained in the rise of Dowman
“Ball-carrying has been his super strength all the way through,” former Arsenal academy coach Temisan Williams – now founding father of Coach Accelerator Masterclass Group – advised Sky Sports activities.
“I got to coach Max for the whole season when he was an U11s player and right from the get-go I was like: ‘Okay, there’s something very special about this young man’.”
Dowman is now probably the most talked-about teenager in Europe. He ticked off his first-team after which aggressive debuts in a matter of weeks in August – now he takes his sport to the Champions League.
All this sparks the query: How far can he go? And the way rapidly?
“Champions League, World Cup, Premier League,” says Williams. “He’s got all the capabilities; he’s got the mentality. Mikel Arteta wouldn’t bring him into the fold at that age if he didn’t.”
There will be little doubt anymore – Max Dowman is Subsequent Up.
Learn extra on Max Dowman’s growth within the Arsenal academy right here.
