Max Dowman was hailed as a ‘miracle player’ by Sparta Prague after he made Champions League history with Arsenal on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their perfect start to their Champions League campaign with a 3-0 victory in Prague as Bukayo Saka scored a penalty before Mikel Merino netted twice in the second half.
Dowman, meanwhile, became the youngest player in Champions League history after he was brought on as a second-half substitute by Arteta.
At 15 years and 308 days old, Dowman has broken the record previously held by Youssoufa Moukoko, who was 16 years and 18 days when he made his Champions League debut for Borussia Dortmund in December 2020.
‘I know which player it was, but I had no idea he was fifteen years old,’ Sparta captain Lukas Provod said with a smile after his side’s defeat to Arsenal.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
‘And hats off to him for making it here in Eden – the youngest player in the Champions League in history. I will be watching him and I believe he will only grow.’
Sparta defender David Zima added: ‘The difference is in how the players are approached. Of course, there are many more footballers in England, it’s a bigger country and every now and then a miracle player is born.
‘There are some physical flaws but I looked completely different at fifteen. This is actually a grown-up player when you see him on the pitch.’
Meanwhile, Sparta head coach, Jindrich Trpisovsky, insisted that Dowman did not look out of place against his players.
When asked if was ‘extreme’ to see a 15-year-old play in a senior Champions League game, Trpisovsky replied: ‘It definitely is but if you see him on the field, you wouldn’t say that.
‘He had resilience, for example in a duel at the line, of course the substitute player is always fresher and has more strength, but he withstood big things. His technique is great.
‘At fifteen years old, he is an incredible extreme at this level. For Arsenal, another great player, who will be produced from their own incubator to the top level. Which is the hardest thing in a big club.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Thierry Henry blasts ‘scripted’ Real Madrid star after Liverpool defeat in Champions League
MORE: Thomas Frank has a pop at pundits as Tottenham bounce back with big win
MORE: Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney in tense TV meeting after exchanging criticism
