Manchester United Icon Paul Scholes Makes Passionate Plea for Arsenal Prodigy
Former England midfielder Paul Scholes has delivered a powerful endorsement for Arsenal's emerging talent Max Dowman, declaring unequivocally that the teenage sensation deserves a place in England's squad for the upcoming World Cup. The Manchester United legend, who earned 66 caps for his country, believes Dowman possesses abilities unmatched by any other English player.
Record-Breaking Rise at Arsenal
Max Dowman has experienced a remarkable breakthrough season at the Emirates Stadium, capturing attention with his exceptional performances. The midfielder made history by becoming the second youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League when he debuted for Arsenal at the start of the campaign, with only teammate Ethan Nwaneri featuring at a younger age.
Since that debut, Dowman has made eight additional appearances for the Gunners' first team, further cementing his status as a special talent. Last month, he achieved another milestone by becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history during Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Everton.
Despite manager Mikel Arteta's cautious approach to managing Dowman's playing time—understandable given the player is still attending school—calls have grown for England manager Thomas Tuchel to include the Arsenal wonderkid in his World Cup plans.
Scholes' Unwavering Support
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes left no doubt about his position. 'How good is Max Dowman? He's unbelievable,' the former midfielder declared. 'Do you think he should be in the England squad for the World Cup? Look at Spain with Lamine Yamal... get him in!'
Scholes emphasized Dowman's unique qualities, stating: 'We've not got a player like Dowman. I think Thomas Tuchel is the type of manager who might take him. Did you see his goals for the England U20s?'
When questioned about which established players Dowman might replace in the squad, Scholes responded emphatically: 'Anyone, I don't care. I think he's brilliant. Spain would do it and Spain are successful. I would take him all day long, I don't think there's an English player with the ability he's got. He floats past people.'
Ferdinand Echoes the Sentiment
Scholes' former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand has joined the chorus advocating for Dowman's inclusion. On his YouTube channel, Ferdinand argued: 'I think he has to go [to the World Cup]. I think he's special. He's doing the same thing he did through every age group in the Premier League against grown men.'
Ferdinand highlighted how Dowman has impressed even his Arsenal teammates and coaching staff, noting: 'Even the players there are going "wow", even the manager is saying he's not seen anything like this from a player so young. It's crazy.'
The former England defender drew parallels with past young talents who made significant tournament impacts, recalling: 'Those talents have to go – Michael Owen went to the World Cup young and blew up the whole world. You have to give these talents the experience and even if he went there and didn't play it would be useful for him to get used to the environment.'
Ferdinand added from personal experience: 'I didn't play a minute at the 1998 World Cup but that experience really helped at the 2002 tournament. I would love to see him go – it would be so exciting for English football. I would 100% take him – look at Spain with Lamine Yamal, I'm not comparing them but they saw a special talent and took him and then he blew everyone's socks off.'
World Cup Selection Dilemma
England manager Thomas Tuchel faces difficult decisions regarding his World Cup squad selection, particularly in midfield and attacking positions where he enjoys considerable depth. Established stars like Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, and Morgan Rogers are all expected to feature in the tournament squad.
Despite this wealth of options, both Scholes and Ferdinand believe Dowman's exceptional talent warrants special consideration, regardless of his youth and limited top-level experience.
Title Race Focus
For now, Dowman remains focused on helping his boyhood club Arsenal secure their first Premier League title since 2004—five years before he was born. The Gunners currently hold a nine-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City as they prepare for Saturday's Premier League encounter against Bournemouth.
After suffering back-to-back defeats either side of the international break—their first consecutive losses this season—Arsenal returned to winning ways with a victory over Champions League rivals Sporting on Tuesday night.
As the domestic season reaches its climax and World Cup preparations intensify, the debate surrounding Max Dowman's international prospects continues to gather momentum, fueled by endorsements from some of English football's most respected former players.
