He’s only 15! Arsenal’s Max Dowman becomes youngest-ever player in the Champions League

Arsenal winger Max Dowman became the youngest player in Champions League history when, at age 15 years and 308 days, he entered as a second-half substitute against Slavia Prague on Tuesday.

Dowman is the first 15-year-old to play in Europe’s top club competition. The previous youngest was Youssoufa Moukoko, a striker who played for Borussia Dortmund just 18 days after his 16th birthday back in 2020.

Dowman’s latest exploit came weeks after he became the second-youngest player – behind Arsenal teammates Ethan Nwaneri – to feature in the Premier League after making his debut against Leeds, also as a second-half substitute in August.

Still a school kid, Dowman has also come on as a replacement at defending champion Liverpool in the league this season and featured in two English League Cup matches.

Arsenal was leading 3-0 when Dowman came on to replace Leandro Trossard in the 72nd minute against Slavia. There were no more goals.

Dowman is a left-footed attacking midfielder who was born in Chelmsford – a city in the county of Essex, which is northeast of London – and joined Arsenal at the age of 5 in May 2015.

He made his debut for Arsenal’s under-18s at age 13 and became the youngest scorer in the UEFA Youth League at age 14, when he was playing for the under-19s.

Dowman was still 14 when he was asked by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to train with the senior team in December last year and he starred on the club’s preseason tour of Asia in matches against AC Milan and Newcastle.

To abide by Premier League regulations for players under 18, Dowman has had to change into his Arsenal uniform for training sessions and matches in a separate locker room than his senior teammates.

He recently returned to school in Essex after a break for the summer holidays.

Moukoko became the Champions League’s youngest-ever player in a group-stage game against Zenit St. Petersburg in December 2020.

He took the record held for 26 years by Céléstine Babayaro, who was 16 years and 86 days when the Nigerian left back started for Anderlecht at Steaua Bucharest in November 1994. Babayaro was sent off in the first half of that game.

Since Moukoko’s debut, Lamine Yamal started for Barcelona at age 16 years and 68 days against Antwerp in September 2023, putting him No. 2 on the list at the time.