Youngest Champions League players ever as Arsenal starlet makes history

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The Football Faithful

·5 November 2025

Youngest Champions League players ever as Arsenal starlet makes history

Max Dowman made UEFA Champions League history on Tuesday night as the Arsenal teenager became the youngest player in the competition’s history.

The precocious attacker became the first ever 15 year old footballer to play in Europe’s premier club tournament when he came off the bench in the second half of the Gunners’ 3-0 win over Slavia Praha.

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Dowman replaced Leandro Trossard in the 73rd minute to make his Champions League debut at just 15 years and 308 days of age.

That beats the previous record set by Youssoufa Moukoko for Borussia Dortmund back in 2020. The forward, who now plays for FC Copenhagen, was 16 years and 18 days old at the time.

Dowman has also surpassed some of the talented youngsters in the game, including Lamine Yamal and Rayan Cherki, both of whom made their Champions League debuts at 16.

Celestine Babayaro previously held the record for 26 years until Moukoko broke it, but four of the youngest debutants in the competition’s history have come in the last six years, indicating a greater willingness on the part of managers to give youth a chance on the biggest stage.

It’s not the first record Dowman has claimed in European football. Last year he became the youngest player to score in the UEFA Youth League after finding the net for Arsenal against Atalanta at the age of 14.

Dowman also became the youngest Premier League 2 player last season, before making his Premier League debut against Leeds United this term, becoming the second youngest debutant in the competition’s history. The record belongs to his teammate, Ethan Nwaneri.

Mikel Arteta also made him the youngest ever starter for Arsenal when he was named in the starting XI for the fourth round of the League Cup against Brighton.