Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman, at 15 years and 308 days, became the youngest footballer ever to play in a Champions League match, the UEFA press service reported.
UEFA Champions League
Matchday 4, Nov. 4
Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal: 0-3
Goals: Bukayo Saka 32’ (P), Mikel Merino 46’, 68’
Dowman replaced Leandro Trossard in the 72nd minute of the match, thus becoming the youngest footballer to play in the Champions League. Moreover, he is also the first player under the age of 16 to appear in the competition.
«The first ball he gets, he takes people on. He starts to dribble and gets a foul. That is personality, that is courage. You cannot teach that — you either have it or you don’t. It doesn’t matter what his passport says, you throw him in this context and he is able to adapt and have a good performance,» the Telegraph cited Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as saying.
Dowman broke the record of Youssoufa Moukoko, who made his Champions League debut at the age of 16 years and 18 days for Borussia Dortmund. Currently, Moukoko plays for Copenhagen — Kairat’s opponent on the fifth matchday of the Champions League.
The Champions League’s youngest top three is rounded out by FC Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal — the Spanish player entered the pitch in the 2023-24 season at the age of 16 years and 68 days. After the match against Greek Olympiacos on matchday five of the 2025-26 Champions League, Yamal became the youngest footballer to play 25 matches in the competition.
The youngest UEFA Champions League players
- Max Dowman: Arsenal, 15 years 308 days, Nov. 4, 2025
- Youssoufa Moukoko: Borussia Dortmund, 16 years 18 days, Dec. 8, 2020
- Lamine Yamal: Barcelona, 16 years 68 days, Sept. 19, 2023
- Celestine Babayaro: Anderlecht, 16 years 86 days, Nov. 23, 1994
- Rayan Cherki: Lyon, 16 years 102 days, Nov. 27, 2019
Last week, Dowman became the youngest player to be included in the starting line-up for an English Premier League club across all competitions. He took part in the match against Brighton in the English Football League Cup at the age of 15 years and 302 days.
