Max Dowman was the star of the show as the England U19s beat Portugal 6-0 in their European Championships qualifier.
The Arsenal teenager is one of the best players of his age in the world, and he was the standout star for the U19s, despite only turning 16 a few months ago.
Dowman provided two assists and scored a fantastic goal to help his side pick up an emphatic win, but that was still not enough for the Young Lions to qualify for the Euros.
Nevertheless, media outlets in England are beyond impressed by the young Arsenal attacker.
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English media hail Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman after England U19s vs Portugal U19s
Max Dowman started on the right wing for the England U19s against Portugal on Tuesday.
It took the 16-year-old just four minutes to set up Chelsea’s Jesse Derry after a wonderful run, turning his marker and running into the right side of the box.
Dowman continued to cause problems for the Portugal U19s, but it wasn’t until the 50th minute that he produced the best moment of the game.
The Arsenal academy star picked the ball up inside his own half, turned a Portugal player, made a fabulous run into the box and scored a lovely goal.
It was undoubtedly the best strike of the game, and he is receiving some deserved praise.
TalkSPORT wrote: “Max Dowman’s excellent solo goal firmly suggests he’s got everything needed to achieve stardom with England. Dowman first went on a fine run and found Jesse Derry, who netted the opening goal for England with only four minutes on the clock.
“But early on in the second half, the 16-year-old scored the best of the lot with a move that began in his own half. He raced down the right flank before steering towards the centre of the pitch with an eye for goal. With the Portugal defence doing little to stop him, Dowman was able to find the bottom corner with a low finish.”
The Mirror added: “Max Dowman’s brilliance was again on show as the teenager scored a magnificent solo goal for England’s U19s – just weeks after becoming the Premier League’s youngest scorer. He picked up the ball out on the right, inside his own half, before dribbling past two defenders, travelling all the way to the Portugal 18-yard box and finishing impressively into the corner.
“It drew comparisons with a goal he scored in a 4-2 win for Arsenal against Bayern Munich’s U19 side. After picking up the ball on the right, he breezed past two players before producing a Maradona spin to evade a third defender, then finishing with a stunning chip over the goalkeeper.”
Across the pond, The New York Times wrote: “It wasn’t the Emirates or the Premier League, but that didn’t matter to Max Dowman. High up in the northern Portugal hills, the 16-year-old Arsenal star offered a compelling glimpse into the future of England’s attack with a goal of the season contender and two assists in a rousing 6-0 victory for England’s under-19s.
“In front of just a few hundred spectators, he ran relentlessly at a Portugal back line that crumbled under the intense pressure of his trickery. The scoreline may indicate a rout in every department, but it was Dowman’s sharp and creative display that made the difference.”
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England U19s boss hails Max Dowman
Dowman was undoubtedly the Man of the Match, even though the England U19s failed to secure qualification for the Euros.
Everyone who saw his performance is raving about him on social media, and his manager on Tuesday, Will Antwi, is impressed too.
He said: “He’s quite attuned to his profile. He just gets on with his football and plays. I think it’s abnormal to us all because he’s so young, but to him, it’s just normal.
“Nothing has been a problem; he just gets his boots on, poses for the pictures when he’s asked, and is very graceful about it.”
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