Max Dowman has become the second youngest player in Premier League history.
Wayne Rooney admitted that seeing Max Dowman make his Premier League debut felt “surreal.”
Arsenal with Kid Dowman is a British football story, introducing himself on his biggest stage when he made his first team debut with Leeds on Saturday.
Dowman was just 15 years old and 234 days ago, regaining amazing memories for former England Captain Rooney, who was the original child wonder of the Premier League. Rooney, now 39, scored an incredible Everton goal against Arsenal in October 2002, when he was five days below his 17th birthday.
Fast forward nearly 23 years, and at age 15, Rooney found himself watching Dowman’s debut in a Manchester United book. He scored his first goal on Saturday for under 18.
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Rooney said on his own BBC podcast: “I was sitting with my son, who is older than him! I saw Kai play under the age of 18 and once again got his first goal three years older. That’s an incredible achievement.
“Kai actually plays him and Kai is two months older than him. It’s absolutely odd that he plays first team football in the Premier League. But from what I’ve seen, Max Douman looks like a very high-level young man.
Rooney also recalled his own progress towards Everton’s first team at the time – and within two years he was playing for England in major tournaments. Former England captain Rooney believes it will be easier at Arsenal than Dowman did at Everton, as the teenagers are surrounded by better players.
Rooney said: “It’s surreal. It’s very strange. I’m on the youth team for about a minute. The next moment, I’m in the dressing room of my first team, with some of your heroes and for me, my heroes I’ve been growing up.
“I was around Duncan Ferguson’s house. Just chilling with him, Alan Stubbs and I ‘What’s going on here?” It’s something you have to get used to very quickly, because you can get you if you don’t get used to it.
“Max is on a team that is challenging in the Premier League and is challenging to win the Champions League, so the step-up for him will be with better players than when I came in.”
Rooney also recalled one of his commercial transactions he signed at the age of 14 when it was clear that he was about to become a phenomenon in British football. Even if his future wife Colleen had a better car, there was no sports car for the Rooney after passing his tests.
There was also a warning there about making sure Douman was dressed in the right people and kept listening to his family.
Rooney added: “I was 14. I had a contract with Ford and I was giving my dad a Ford Galaxy. But part of the contract was that when I passed the driving test, I didn’t realize that my first car had to be a Ford.
“The first thing you have to do is stay with your family and friends and listen to them because there are people trying to get in touch, for good reasons, not for good reasons.
“Normally, I go back after a game with Everton and play on the streets with my peers. That’s what I usually do. I used one of the garages in the garages and you’ll be confused with my peers.
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