Wayne Rooney: Max Dowman Has 'Aura and Belief' - and His GCSEs Max Dowman made history on Saturday by becoming the youngest ever goalscorer in Premier League history at just 16 years old. Wayne Rooney, who himself scored as a teenager for Everton against Arsenal in 2002, praised the Arsenal youngster for his "aura and belief" while also emphasizing the importance of his education. Rooney, speaking on his podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, highlighted Dowman's potential but warned that the young forward might need to prioritize his schoolwork in the coming weeks. "He has got his GCSEs, and his education, I'm sure for him and his family, is important as well," Rooney said. He acknowledged the unique opportunity Dowman has to be part of a Premier League squad, noting that the 16-year-old could one day win a league title while still finishing school. Rooney also expressed confidence in Dowman's composure under pressure, comparing his approach to his own experience as a young player. "He seems, from the games I've watched, to not let that pressure affect him because he gets the ball, he holds on to it, he commits defenders, he goes to take them on, and so he definitely looks like he's got a confidence about him," Rooney said. Reflecting on his own debut goal against Arsenal in 2002, Rooney noted how the attention on Dowman is different in the modern era. "Now we're in social media," he said. "People will be messaging, Instagram or Twitter, whatever he's got. And you'll be seeing it everywhere. So I don't think he will have slept many hours [on Saturday night] because I'm sure he will have been up watching it." Rooney contrasted the media landscape of his youth with today's environment, where social media amplifies scrutiny. "It's different now, a different age when I was coming through. There was no social media at that time.#arsenal #mikel_arteta #max_dowman #wayne_rooney #gcse
