England’s Max Dowman Shines in Under-17 Euros Opener Against Belgium
In a thrilling encounter at the Under-17 European Championship, England’s 15-year-old midfielder Max Dowman caught the eye of onlookers with a dazzling display against Belgium. The young Arsenal player, described as having a bright future in the sport, showcased his skills in a 1-1 draw that had fans and analysts alike taking notice.
The match, played in the small town of Rrogozhine, an hour’s drive south of Albania’s capital, Tirana, was a closely contested affair that saw both teams create scoring opportunities. Dowman, the youngest player at the tournament, was up against Nathan De Cat, a 16-year-old holding midfielder who has already played seven times for Anderlecht’s first team. The battle between the two young players was a defining feature of the match, with each one pushing the other to new heights.
According to The Athletic, Dowman’s qualities have become more recognisable throughout the season, and this match was just his latest stage for displaying them. He had a shot blocked on the line within a minute of the game starting, but it was his close control and dribbling that got the 1,688 spectators on their feet.
As The Athletic reported, Dowman’s dribbling became more of a feature 20 minutes into the game, when he received the ball and evaded an onrushing De Cat. He drove 40 yards upfield before those Belgian recommendations of fouling him were carried out. Shortly after, Dowman drifted to the right, bringing down a long ball with the outside of his boot. A twist inside, out and then back was too good for his marker, before he had a powerful left-footed shot saved.
The match was a closely contested affair, with England taking the lead through a strike from Lyon forward Alejandro Rodriguez. However, Belgium equalised with a free kick from PSV’s Noah Fernandez that kissed the crossbar on its way in. England captain, and Fulham midfielder, Seth Ridgeon, told The Athletic that the team couldn’t be too disappointed with the result, saying: "There were a lot of turnovers. In the second half, it got a bit out of our hands, but we can’t be too disappointed with that result in our first group game."
Ridgeon also praised Dowman’s performance, saying: "Max is two years younger than some of us and he’s very mature with how he plays. He’s just got to keep building and not get too frustrated if he doesn’t score. There are plenty more games to come and show how good he is."
The England team has been together since the Under-16 age group, with a policy of progressing together that goes for coaches as well as players. Under-17s head coach Neil Ryan told The Athletic that the familiarity with the players and staff helps when they arrive at camp, because they’re already well connected. On whether that familiarity makes him more comfortable selecting players such as Dowman, who are years younger than the under-17s level, he added: "When you watch Max and other boys for their clubs, they’re performing at a higher level than their age indicates. Players throughout the whole squad are playing at under-21s and in first-team squads, so they’re getting challenged within their club. Some of them are dropping back an age group to play under-17s, which makes my job challenging to pick the best squad."
England play Italy, who beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their Wednesday night opener, next in Rrogozhine on Friday. They can be grateful to another Arsenal player, Jack Porter, who made a vital save late on to secure the draw. With at least another two matches to come for England before the top two in each group go on to the semis and final, there is more than enough time for Dowman to put his stamp on this tournament.
The young player’s performance has caught the eye of Arsenal’s first-team manager Mikel Arteta, who has said that Dowman is already part of his squad-planning thoughts for the near future. As The Athletic reported, Dowman’s display against Belgium has given fans and analysts a glimpse into the future of European football, and it will be exciting to see how he develops in the coming years.
