Try GOLD - Free
You're kidding? Roo on Dowman's debut
Daily Express
|August 26, 2025
15-YEAR-OLD BRINGS IT ALL BACK FOR THE ORIGINAL BOY WONDER
WAYNE ROONEY said it was “surreal” watching the schoolboy Max Dowman make his Premier League debut for Arsenal.
Midfielder Dowman introduced himself on the big stage when he came on as a 64th-minute substitute in the thumping 5-0 win against Leeds on Saturday.
Dowman was aged 15 years and 235 days and it brought back memories for ex-England captain Rooney, the Premier League’s original boy wonder.
Rooney, now 39, scored a sensational winner against Arsenal back in October 2002 just two months after making his topflight debut with Everton and when he was still only 16.
Fast forward 23 years and Rooney was watching Dowman’s debut alongside his son Kai, also 15, who had scored his first goal for Manchester United’s Under-18s earlier that day.
It brought it all home.
Rooney, on his own BBC podcast, said: “I was there sat with my son and my son is older than him!
This story is from the August 26, 2025 edition of Daily Express.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Daily Express
Daily Express
Angry Blues fans are used to big stars & silverware ...Rosenior is a gamble that Boehly must get right
CHELSEA legend John Obi Mikel fears the club is in danger of losing its winning mentality.
2 mins
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Homes sales surge despite rocky market foundations
HOUSEBUILDER Persimmon said it sold more homes than expected in a “challenging” market last year, but cautioned trading conditions are not likely to significantly improve over the year ahead.
1 mins
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Eliminate Joint Pain in Just One Day!
Doctors nationwide are cancelling hip and knee surgery for their patients.
1 min
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
The roof falls in on rental retirements
Rachel Reeves's constant tax raids on landlords means many have questioned the wisdom of buy-to-lets and are abandoning the dream of owning a property to boost their pensions
2 mins
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Pensioner poverty crisis is shaming this country
BRITAIN is on the verge of seeing more than two million of its pensioners living in poverty and Sir Keir Starmer must scramble to stop a disaster that would shame the nation.
1 min
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Baxter a doubt for Six Nations opener
ENGLAND prop Fin Baxter faces a race to be fit for the start of the Six Nations as he struggles to shake off a foot injury.
1 min
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Coal fire burns underground for six months
Locals fear for their health
1 min
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Jewish fans ban police force spent £2.8m on diversity
WEST Midlands Police spent almost £2.8million on diversity schemes before banning Jewish football fans from attending a match knowing extremists planned to attack them.
2 mins
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
Shadow fleet tanker taken by US spotted in UK waters
AN oil tanker seized by the US last week for alleged sanctions busting has appeared in the Moray Firth.
1 min
January 14, 2026
Daily Express
TIME TO LIVE AND LET LIV?
Former LIV Golf star Brooks Koepka is returning to the PGA Tour this month without serving a ban thanks to a new rule designed to also lure back other big names, such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. How does it work ~ and what will it mean for the future of golf?
2 mins
January 14, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size