Chelsea legend John Terry compared Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman to Lionel Messi after his showing against Everton on March 14 (Saturday). The Gunners won 2-0 against Everton in the Premier League this week, taking another step towards winning the title this season.
Max Dowman became crucial to Arsenal‘s much-needed victory against Everton. He replaced Martin Zubimendi in the 74th minute and made an instant impact in the final 15 minutes of the game. The 0-0 stalemate broke when Viktor Gyokeres found the back of the net (89′), followed by Max Donovan doubling the lead during stoppage time (90+7’). Donovan ran the full length of the pitch before scoring in an unguarded goal.
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Speaking on TikTok (h/t Arsenal News) shortly after Arsenal’s clash, Chelsea legend John Terry was in awe of Donovan. He compared the 16-year-old prodigy’s heroics to the legendary Lionel Messi, saying:
“Max Dowman, what a player! 16 years of age. Absolutely incredible. I watched him play against Chelsea about a year ago and I’ve not seen anyone glide past people like this man does other than Messi. That’s a big, big comparison, but this man is a proper talent and will play a big part in Arsenal’s future and England.”
Max Dowman’s goal against Everton was a historic one, as the youngster became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Premier League and for Arsenal. The record was previously held by James Vaughan, who had ironically scored for Everton in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in April 2005.
How old was Lionel Messi when he scored his first official goal?
It is imperative that any young talent is compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, given their two-decade-long dominance in the world of football. Max Donovan is no different, as the 16-year-old has drawn comparisons to the legendary Argentine on his first goal of the season.
Looking back, Lionel Messi had scored the first official goal of his career when he was around a year older than Donovan, at 17 years and 10 months of age. At that time, he became the youngest goalscorer in the history of LaLiga. Messi came off the bench for Barcelona in the 88th minute in a 2-0 win over Albacete in LaLiga in May 2005.
Much like Donovan, Lionel Messi came off the bench to double the lead, as Barcelona were 1-0 up when he stepped in. The Argentine was assisted by Ronaldinho, after which the two were seen celebrating with Messi jumping over Ronaldinho’s shoulders. The moment is often considered a historic one for Barcelona and now for football, as Messi went on to become the greatest legend in Barcelona history and among the finest to grace the beautiful game.
Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar