While Tuesday night saw millions of Arsenal fans all around the world celebrating, just imagine being Max Dowman. The club's most-recent Premier League title, before this one of course, came five and a half years before the teenager was born, and he has played a pivotal role in ending that draught, breaking plenty of records along the way, with another now added to his rapidly growing CV.
Max Dowman's Premier League records
- Second-youngest player: 15 years and 235 days - 23 August vs Leeds.
- Youngest goalscorer: 16 years and 73 days - 14 March vs Everton.
- Youngest champions: 16 years and 139 days - 19 May.
When Dowman made his debut off the bench against Leeds in August, he became the second-youngest player to ever feature in a Premier League match. Ethan Nwaneri was 54 days younger when he was given a brief cameo at Brentford back in September 2022. However, Dowman's inclusion was not some sort of narcissistic PR-stunt by Mikel Arteta. He rightly believed the kid could contribute.
Well, fast forward to March and Dowman did just that. With Arsenal struggling to break down Everton at home, the 16 year old was thrown on, with his cross creating Viktor Gyökeres' vital breakthrough goal, before Dowman got his own magic moment, running clear from the half-way line and able to role the ball into an empty net. Some of the best limbs the Emirates has ever housed.
Max Dowman Premier League appearances
- 23 August: Leeds United (H) - 26 minutes. Won a penalty (fouled by Gabriel Gudmundsson)
- 31 August: Liverpool (A) - 1 minute.
- 14 March: Everton (H) - 16 minutes. Created the first goal and scored the second.
- 11 April: Bournemouth (A) - 36 minutes.
- 2 May: Fulham (H) - 12 minutes.
Yes, one could argue that Dowman has only played 91 minutes of Premier League football this season, all five appearances coming off the bench, so would not have been eligible for a medal back in the day. However, without his contribution against Everton, Arsenal would unquestionably not have won that game, and the title race would, at best, be going to the last day, and we would not have enjoyed a memorable night at the Emirates on Tuesday.
So, for that alone, he is fully deserving of his medal. As already mentioned, Dowman has become the youngest-ever Premier League champion, but who else has done so at a very young age?
Youngest players to ever win the Premier League
Players | Club | Season | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
Max Dowman | Arsenal | 2025/26 | 16 years & 139 days |
Phil Foden | Manchester City | 2017/18 | 17 years & 350 days |
Rico Lewis | Manchester City | 2022/23 | 18 years & 188 days |
Brahim Díaz | Manchester City | 2017/18 | 18 years & 283 days |
Gaël Clichy | Arsenal | 2003/04 | 18 years & 294 days |
Rafael | Manchester United | 2008/09 | 18 years & 319 days |
Nicolas Anelka | Arsenal | 1997/98 | 19 years & 57 days |
Neco Williams | Liverpool | 2019/20 | 19 years & 104 days |
Phil Neville | Manchester United | 1995/96 | 19 years & 105 days |
Ryan Giggs | Manchester United | 1992/93 | 19 years & 161 days |
Curtis Jones | Liverpool | 2019/20 | 19 years & 178 days |
Note: Statistics courtesy of BBC Sport.
Dowman joins Phil Foden as the only other non-adult to secure a Premier League title, smashing the England international's record by over an entire year. Gaël Clichy and Nicolas Anelka, who both went on to win multiple titles elsewhere, are the other Arsenal representatives on this list.
On a seperate note, the two youngest players to win the Champions League are Arsenal legend Nwankwo Kanu and Patrick Kluivert, who were both 18 when Ajax beat A.C. Milan 1-0 in the 1995 final at Ernst-Happel-Stadion, the latter the only scorer in Vienna. Well, in a week and a half's time, Dowman could break that record in Budapest, or at least here's hoping.
