Nearly 20 years ago, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson surprised the whole of England when he called up Theo Walcott to the 2006 World Cup. That decision was so shocking that Walcott himself initially thought it was a joke. While taking a driving theory test, he received news from his father that he was on Eriksson's list.
In fact, not many people believe in that option. Walcott just signed a contract with Arsenal in January 2006 when he was 16 years old and had not even played for the club's first team. Meanwhile, Eriksson eliminated in-form striker Jermain Defoe, making this decision even more controversial.
That is a type of choice rarely repeated in modern football. However, when witnessing Max Dowman shine on the difficult field at Mansfield, many people began to imagine this young talent in the England national team jersey.
Of course, that is unlikely to happen so soon that he will appear at the 2026 World Cup. An impressive performance at One Call Stadium is not enough to help Dowman receive a call from coach Thomas Tuchel.
But for those who watch Dowman play for the first time, that match is proof that Arsenal and the England team possess a special talent. Before making a small mistake leading to Will Evans' equalizer, Dowman's 16-year-old teammate Marli Salmon also played very well in a pressure environment.
Coach Mikel Arteta is clearly possessing a promising generation of young players. However, Dowman is the most prominent name in terms of technique on the rough pitch at Mansfield.
After a period of injury break, this young midfielder shows that he is gradually regaining his form. Both Dowman and Salmon have adapted well to the bumpy playing style of the team led by Nigel Clough. Although the opponent is only a third-tier team, this is still an important step forward in Dowman's development process.
If strict, it can be said that Dowman still needs to improve his finishing ability. He had a few good chances in both halves but could not beat goalkeeper Liam Roberts of Mansfield.
Meanwhile, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze showed Dowman how to take advantage of opportunities with sharp finishes. However, the first professional goal of this 16-year-old player is probably only a matter of time.
More importantly, Arteta's bold decision to let Dowman start right after returning from injury shows the great faith he has in this young talent. With Arsenal's dense schedule in the coming weeks, Dowman can completely play a certain role in the "Gunners'" ambition to conquer four titles.
However, being called up to the England national team is still quite far away. Tuchel once warned about the risk of putting too much pressure on young players. But Dowman is clearly a special talent, like Lamine Yamal when he debuted for the Spanish national team at the age of 16.
When Walcott made his debut for the England national team in May 2006 - even before making his debut for Arsenal - he became the youngest player in history to wear the "Three Lions" shirt (17 years and 75 days).
That record still exists today. Dowman may not be called up unexpectedly like Walcott years ago, but with the current development momentum, his breaking that record in the future is not at all a pipe dream.
