Dowman called up to England U21s, could beat Bellingham's age record
Max Dowman has earned his first call up to England's Under-21 squad at just 16 years old, a promotion that could see the Arsenal academy graduate break a record currently held by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham.
The Football Association has confirmed that Dowman is among Lee Carsley's selections for England's upcoming friendlies against Portugal and France. Both matches will be played at Bristol City's Ashton Gate Stadium, with Portugal visiting on Friday 13 November before France arrive on Monday 16 November.
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Should Dowman feature in either fixture, he would become the youngest footballer to represent England at Under-21 level. Bellingham currently holds that distinction, having made his debut against Kosovo in September 2020 at 17 years old. Dowman, who only turned 16 this year, would comfortably surpass that achievement.
A rapid rise through the ranks
The Hale End graduate has already represented England at younger age groups, but this latest promotion underlines just how highly his potential is regarded by the national set up. He will find familiar faces in the squad too, with fellow Arsenal players Ethan Nwaneri and Tommy Setford also included.
The call up arrives after a testing few weeks for the teenager. Dowman was sent off during Arsenal's Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood, a moment that brought unwanted attention his way, with Mikel Arteta making clear afterwards that the youngster must learn from his mistakes.
Perspective amid the hype
Despite that setback, the England promotion serves as a reminder of the ability that has already seen Dowman break into Arteta's first team plans this season. For now, the Under-21s offer him another chance to gain experience against older, more established opposition before any talk of senior involvement.
There is no indication Arsenal or England plan to accelerate his development beyond this next step, but another milestone for one of the club's brightest academy products is hard to ignore. As reported by Just Arsenal, Dowman's rise continues to generate headlines both inside and outside the club.
Attention now turns to Ashton Gate, where Dowman has the chance to etch his name into England's record books before he has even made his senior Arsenal debut.
