Theo Walcott has expressed his hope that Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman will not be selected for England's World Cup squad this summer, drawing from his own experience as a teenager called up for the 2006 tournament.
Dowman's Rise to Prominence
Dowman, widely regarded as one of English football's brightest young talents, made history in March by becoming the Premier League's youngest-ever goalscorer. The 16-year-old scored a brilliant solo effort in Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Everton. Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has compared Dowman to Lionel Messi, while England manager Thomas Tuchel has not ruled out including the uncapped midfielder in his World Cup squad.
Tuchel's Comments on Dowman
Speaking in March, Tuchel said: 'I think he is at the moment competing and obviously a fantastic talent and an outstanding talent. At his age, there cannot be a doubt about it. Everyone who tells me about Max praises him and is full of compliments. The reality is that he competes for minutes; he is not a regular starter for Arsenal. He's in a fantastic environment, the best possible environment, learning from the very best. With these young guys, we see them as you do. At the moment, he is in a good place to fight for his minutes at Arsenal. We always have the chance to call him up for the World Cup.'
Walcott's Cautionary Tale
Walcott, who was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson for the 2006 World Cup at age 17 without any Premier League appearances, now advises Dowman to take a slower approach. 'I hope he doesn't go,' Walcott told The Mirror. 'I don't mean it in a horrible way, but if I could go back in time, I would change things. I would say to myself, 'no, no, don't do it,' but try telling that to a 17-year-old. He's playing in the Premier League, but he needs to grow at his own pace, especially emotionally. I had to grow up very fast, but this team is still young and not as experienced. He's being protected, which is important, whereas I had to get thrown in to talk to the media.'
Walcott's Opinion on England's Squad
Walcott believes Dowman should wait for his chance, noting that England already has strong wide players. 'In time he will go, yes, but I don't think this is the time. There are better players who arguably deserve to be there ahead of him. He will eventually get there, but England have wide players doing really well: Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon, and Harvey Barnes on the other side.'
England will announce their preliminary squad on Monday, with the final 26-man squad confirmed by May 30. Walcott's comments highlight the debate over whether to rush young talent into major tournaments or allow them to develop at their own pace.
