Max Dowman has become the youngest appearance maker in Champions League history after coming off the bench during Arsenal’s clash with Slavia Prague on Tuesday evening.
The young forward enjoyed an impressive pre-season with the Gunners and has been regularly used by Mikel Arteta in competitive fixtures already this term, making his fifth appearance of the campaign against Slavia Prague.
Dowman is already the second-youngest player in Arsenal and Premier League history after he featured in the club’s 5–0 demolition of Leeds United in August—sitting only behind clubmate Ethan Nwaneri—although he still awaits his first senior start for the north London giants.
At 15 years and 308 days, the Arsenal wonderkid in now the youngest player to ever feature in a Champions League match, and he’s the only person under the age of 16 to play in Europe’s leading competition.
Dowman is a star in the making. / Visionhaus/Getty Images
The record was previously held by Youssoufa Moukoko, who featured for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2020 at just 16 years and 18 days. Barcelona star Lamine Yamal just missed out on leapfrogging Moukoko when he turned out against Royal Antwerp in 2023.
Former Chelsea star Celestine Babayoro sits fourth in the all-time rankings after appearing for Anderlecht at 16 years and 68 days, while Manchester City’s new recruit Rayan Cherki is fifth following a Champions League outing for Lyon against Zenit in 2019.
Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans and Paris Saint-Germain’s Warren Zaïre-Emery are other notable players in the top 10, as is ex-Barcelona wonderkid Alen Halilović, who failed to make good on his immense potential despite being tipped for superstardom early in his career.
Dowman has plenty of time to become the youngest goalscorer in Champions League history despite not finding the net against Slavia Prague, with the current record held by Ansu Fati after his strike for Barcelona at 17 years and 40 days.
Player
Age
Fixture
Year
Max Dowman
15 years, 308 days
Arsenal vs. Slavia Prague
2025
Youssoufa Moukoko
16 years, 18 days
Zenit vs. Borussia Dortmund
2020
Lamine Yamal
16 years, 68 days
Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp
2023
Celestine Babayoro
16 years, 86 days
FCSB vs. Anderlecht
1994
Rayan Cherki
16 years, 102 days
Zenit vs. Lyon
2019
Alen Halilović
16 years, 128 days
Dinamo Zagreb vs. PSG
2012
Youri Tielemans
16 years, 148 days
Anderlecht vs. Olympiacos
2013
Francesco Camarda
16 years, 226 days
AC Milan vs. Club Brugge
2024
Warren Zaïre-Emery
16 years, 231 days
PSG vs. Maccabi Haifa
2022
Charalampos Mavrias
16 years, 241 days
Panathinaikos vs. Rubin Kazan
2010
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