Max Dowman: Arsenal winger, 15, becomes youngest Champions League player

Arsenal teenager Max Dowman has become the youngest player to feature in a Champions League game after a substitute appearance in the 3-0 win at Slavia Prague.

Aged 15 years and 308 days, the forward broke the record set by Youssoufa Moukoko when the German featured for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit at 16 years and 18 days.

Dowman came off the bench to replace Leandro Trossard in the 72nd minute as Arsenal recorded a 10th successive win - and an eighth clean sheet in a row to match a club record set in 1903 - in Tuesday's league phase match.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was full of praise as he said: "It doesn't get any harder than this competition and Max, at 15, straight away looked to take people on and win free-kicks.

"The way he plays he attracts a lot of contact. He is so good at timing the right moment to move the ball. We have a massive player there."

Dowman's landmark comes just six days after he became the youngest Arsenal player to start a match in the EFL Cup win over Brighton.

The winger is already the second youngest to represent the Gunners and second youngest to play in the Premier League - with team-mate Ethan Nwaneri holding both records at 15 years and 181 days.

Dowman has been training with Arsenal's first-team squad since he was 14 - joining the first team for a Dubai warm-weather camp in January 2024.

Supporters were already calling for the Englishman to get his chance in the second half of last season as Arteta lacked attacking options following injuries to several key players.

Dowman is no stranger to setting records, having become the youngest scorer in the Under-17s European Championship when representing England in May.

Last month, he also became the youngest goalscorer for England Under-19s.

So it's no surprise he has emerged as part of Arteta's plans this term as the Gunners compete for success on four fronts.

Having a player with so much promise competing in senior football means Arsenal have put measures in place both for his career progression and safeguarding.

These include where he gets changed, a strong focus on his education and also making sure a boy in an adult team environment is well supported by his team-mates.

Arteta and the club have been cautious about how they manage Dowman's progress.

After his debut in a 5-0 win against Leeds on 23 August, Arteta said they have been gathering information on how he reacts to certain situations, whether that was being on the bench, training with the first team or not being named in the squad at all.

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