Wayne Rooney has tempered excitement around Arsenal's 16-year-old record-breaking debutant Max Dowman, suggesting GCSE exams may limit his involvement in the title run-in despite praising the teen's confidence—following John Terry's bold Messi comparison.
Arsenal's 16-year-old prospect Max Dowman made history in Saturday's 2-0 win over Everton, assisting Viktor Gyokeres before scoring himself to become the Premier League's youngest goalscorer—a performance that drew widespread praise, including Chelsea legend John Terry likening his dribbling to Lionel Messi's.
On The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Everton and England star—who debuted at 16 himself—stressed the importance of balancing Dowman's breakthrough with real-world pressures. “He has got his GCSEs, and his education and I’m sure for him and his family that is important as well,” Rooney said, predicting limited appearances ahead of Arsenal's packed schedule: Champions League vs. Bayer Leverkusen (1-1 aggregate), EFL Cup final vs. Manchester City, and FA Cup vs. Southampton.
Rooney contrasted today's environment with his era: “Now we’re in [the] social media [age]. People will be messaging, Instagram or Twitter... I don’t think he will have slept many hours [on Saturday night].” He lauded Dowman's poise: “He gets the ball, he holds on to it, he commits defenders... he definitely looks like he’s got a confidence about him.”
Rooney advised measured handling: “Mikel Arteta, some of the senior players... will not let him get ahead of himself. But I think you have to enjoy it as well... Let him enjoy it and go and express himself.”
