Wayne Rooney has praised Arsenal teenager Max Dowman for making history in the Premier League, offering advice from his own experience of breaking into professional football as a teenager.
Dowman, aged just 15 years and 234 days, came off the bench during Arsenal’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday, becoming the second-youngest player ever to appear for the club.
The winger’s introduction has sparked huge attention across the football world, with Rooney among those eager to share perspective on the unique challenges the youngster now faces.
Rooney knows the pressures of early success better than most. At 16, he made his Everton debut in 2002 before announcing himself with a memorable late winner against Arsenal, becoming the Premier League’s youngest scorer at the time.
Speaking on his new BBC podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United and England captain said he could relate to Dowman’s moment in the spotlight.
“To play at that age in the Premier League is crazy,” Rooney said. “I know I played when I was young, but I think he’s about 150 days younger than I was or more. It’s just refreshing to see a young lad get his opportunity.”
Although Dowman did not manage to mark his debut with a goal, he impressed with his energy and confidence, even winning a penalty late in the match. Rooney admitted he was relieved the 15-year-old was not tasked with taking the spot-kick.
“If he gets it and scores, it’s great, but I was thinking if he misses that’s the difference in being an absolute success story and… all of a sudden you get everyone, not everyone, but online people having a go at him,” Rooney explained. “So I was really pleased he didn’t, but it was such an impressive debut.”
Rooney’s words serve both as encouragement and a warning. The football icon highlighted the double-edged nature of early fame in the digital age, where young talents can be propelled to stardom but also subjected to immense criticism and scrutiny.
Arsenal’s faith in Dowman reflects their long-standing tradition of giving opportunities to youth players, but the club is expected to manage his development carefully. At 15, Dowman remains at the very start of his football journey, with expectations already building around his potential.
Rooney’s reflections underline how extraordinary Dowman’s achievement is. Few players, even among the most talented, earn Premier League debuts before their 16th birthday.
For Dowman, the challenge now lies in building on that first step without succumbing to the weight of pressure that has burdened many young prodigies before him.
While his name may be new to fans, Max Dowman has already entered football’s record books. And if Rooney’s words are any indication, the football world will be watching closely as the Arsenal youngster takes his next steps in the game.
