Former Arsenal player Theo Walcott has compared the club’s young star, Max Dowman, to football legend Lionel Messi.
Walcott said that Dowman is faster when he has the ball, a quality Messi is well known for.
Dowman played regularly with Arsenal’s first team during pre-season and attracted a lot of attention from the media. He also came off the bench in a Premier League match against Leeds United.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Walcott praised the teenager and said he shares some of Messi’s qualities.
Walcott said:
“What’s really interesting is that Mikel Arteta lets him play to his strengths. He’s quicker with the ball. He’s like Messi.”
He added:
“I remember playing against Messi. Without the ball, he didn’t seem quick – maybe because I was faster than most. But once he had the ball, he would glide past players easily – including me.
[Dowman] has that same ability. He can stop and start quickly, and he plays with a kind of freedom you can’t teach.”