![\"Arsenal](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2266508842.jpg\")
\n\t\tMax Dowman became the Premier League\u2019s youngest-ever goalscorer earlier this month (AMA\/Getty)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tMax Dowman became the Premier League\u2019s youngest-ever goalscorer earlier this month (AMA\/Getty)<\/p>\n
Theo Walcott<\/a> \u2018hopes\u2019 Arsenal<\/a> midfielder Max Dowman<\/a> is not called up by Thomas Tuchel<\/a> for England\u2019s World Cup<\/a> campaign this summer.<\/p>\n Dowman is widely regarded as one of the best young prospects in English football and earlier this month, the 16-year-old became the Premier League\u2019s youngest-ever goalscorer with a brilliant solo effort to secure Arsenal\u2019s 2-0 win over Everton<\/a>.<\/p>\n Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has likened Downman to Lionel Messi<\/a>, while Tuchel has refused to rule out the prospect of including the uncapped midfielder in his World Cup squad.<\/p>\n \u2018I think he is at the moment competing and obviously a fantastic talent and an outstanding talent and at his age there cannot be a doubt about it,\u2019 Tuchel said of Dowman last week.<\/p>\n \u2018Everyone who tells me about Max praises him and is full of compliments about him. The reality at the moment is also that he competes for minutes, he is not a regular starter for Arsenal.<\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019s in a fantastic environment, the best possible environment. In a competitive and stable club. In a club where teamwork is the number one rule. He\u2019s learning from the very best, in the very best environment.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tYour football fix\t\t\t<\/p>\n Metro’s Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week’s biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.<\/p>\n Sign up here<\/a>, it’s an open goal.<\/p>\n \u2018With these young guys, of course we know all these players. We see them as you do as well. At the moment I think he is in a good place to fight for his minutes at Arsenal. We always have the chance to call him, maybe, up for the World Cup.\u2019<\/p>\n Walcott was in a similar position in 2006 when he was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson for England\u2019s World Cup campaign at the age of 17 and with no playing time in the Premier League.<\/p>\n Former Arsenal forward Walcott insists he would advise Dowman not to rush his senior debut for England and believes Arsenal are doing the right thing by \u2018protecting\u2019 the 16-year-old.<\/p>\n \u2018I hope he doesn\u2019t go,\u2019 Walcott said in an interview with The Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018I don\u2019t mean it in a horrible way because if I could go back in time, I would change things. I would say to myself, \u2018no, no, don\u2019t do it\u2019, but then try telling that to a 17-year-old.<\/p>\n \u2018I do still see him and me differently as he\u2019s playing in the Premier League<\/a> but he needs to grow at his own pace, especially on the emotional side because he\u2019s a young adult.<\/p>\n \u2018I had to grow up very fast but this team is still young and not as experienced. He\u2019s being protected, which is important, whereas I had to get thrown in to talk to you lot [the media].<\/p>\n \u2018In time he will go, yes, but I don\u2019t think this is the time and I think there are better players who arguably deserve to be there ahead of him.<\/p>\n \u2018He will eventually get there but England have wide players doing really well, there\u2019s Bukayo [Saka], [Noni] Madueke, Jarrod Bowen<\/a> and Anthony Gordon<\/a> and Harvey Barnes on the other side.\u2019<\/p>\n For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Arsenal](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2266513238.jpg\")
\n\t\tThomas Tuchel has refused to rule out the prospect of calling up Max Dowman for England (Getty)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-71203880-7e96.jpg\")
\n\t\tTheo Walcott was a surprise inclusion in England\u2019s 2006 World Cup squad (Getty)<\/p>\n
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