The World Cup will almost certainly come too soon for Max Dowman, but there is a good chance the Arsenal star could break Theo Walcott’s record as the youngest player to win a senior cap.
Max Dauman becomes Arsenal’s youngest player to appear in an FA Cup match (Image: Getty Images)
Almost 20 years ago, Sven-Goran Eriksson was chosen as a left fielder for the World Cup so badly that the player himself thought it was a prank. Theo Walcott was actually taking the theory section of his driving test when his name appeared on Erickson’s list, but refused to believe it when he heard the news from his father.
To be fair, many of us didn’t believe it. Walcott signed for Arsenal in January 2006 at the age of 16, but had not featured in the club’s first team when Eriksson called him up.
It was a strange choice considering Eriksson left out the in-form Jermain Defoe. Such a selection is unlikely to be repeated, but as I watched Max Dowman tame dangerous pitches and opponents at Mansfield, I couldn’t help but imagine him wearing a full England jersey.
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Right away. Obviously, it won’t be as early as the 2026 World Cup. It takes more than a teenage masterclass at the One Call Stadium to get a one-call from Thomas Tuchel.
But for those of us who arrived late to the Dowman party, this was confirmation that Arsenal and England have a very special talent. For starters, Dauman’s fellow 16-year-old Marli Sermon was also excelling in tough conditions until she made a slight mistake on Will Evans’ tying goal.
Mikel Arteta certainly has a lot of young talent at his disposal. However, Dauman was the most technically skilled player on the difficult surface.
Manager Thomas Tuchel has already warned against putting too much pressure on young players like Max Daumann (Image: Getty Images)
He appears to be getting stronger after returning from a layoff due to injury. Both Dowman and Salmon easily coped with the close physical demands posed by Nigel Clough’s side. Yes, it was a third-tier opponent, but this was another important step in Dauman’s development.
If you’re picky, you’ll say Dauman wasn’t clinical in his finishing. They had chances in the first half and second half but could not beat Liam Roberts in Mansfield’s goal.
Marli Salmon impressed again along with fellow 16-year-old Max Daumann (Image: Arsenal FC, Getty Images)
Both sides of Evans’ equalizer, Noni Maduke and Eberechi Eze, showed how they could finish mercilessly against Dauman, but the 16-year-old’s first senior goal shouldn’t be far off. Of course, that all depends on how much game time Dauman is given. But the fact that Arteta has deemed him ready to start after an injury layoff shows that even at 16, Arteta has complete faith in him.
Given Arsenal’s demanding schedule over the next 11 weeks, Dauman could well play a key role in the Gunners’ four challenges. And although the England manager has already warned of the dangers of imposing too many demands on Arsenal players, Dauman still has an opportunity to give Tuchel some serious thought, suggesting the idea remains preposterous.
Mikel Arteta described Max Dauman’s performance at Mansfield as “incredible” (Image: Getty Images)
But Dauman was clearly an anomaly, just as Lamine Yamal, who made his Spain debut at the age of 16 years and 57 days, was an anomaly. Walcott became the youngest player in England’s history when he made his international debut in a friendly against Hungary in May 2006, before making his debut for Arsenal.
That record of 17 years and 75 days still stands. Dauman is almost certainly not going to receive a surprise call-up like Walcott, but there is no doubt that he will break the record by the end of the year.
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