Max Dowman smashed James Vaughan’s record as the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history on Saturday.
The Arsenal winger struck in stoppage time of the leaders’ 2-0 victory over Everton — beating their own former striker Vaughan by just under 200 days.
Mikel Arteta described the goal as “a phenomenal moment” in his post-match news conference.
Here, ESPN looks at some of the youngest players to score in the Premier League.
1. Max Dowman — 16 years, 73 days old
Dowman was brought on at 0-0 as the Premier League leaders struggled to break down a resolute Everton.
But after Viktor Gyökeres opened the scoring in the 89th minute, Dowman clinched a potentially significant three points in the title race when he sprinted the length of the pitch to score into an empty net.
It was just the teenager’s third appearance in the competition and his first goal for the Gunners at senior level.
2. James Vaughan — 16 years and 270 days old
Striker Vaughan came off the bench to make his Everton debut against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on April 10, 2005 and turned home Kevin Kilbane’s cross within 13 minutes of his arrival in a 4-0 win.
Vaughan’s time at Everton was blighted by injuries and he made only eight Premier League appearances before leaving the club in 2011.
He went on to play for Norwich, Huddersfield and Sunderland among others before finishing his career at Tranmere in 2021.
3. James Milner — 16 years and 356 days old
Milner was three days younger than Wayne Rooney when he broke the existing record to become the youngest player to score in the Premier League.
The midfielder struck in Leeds’ 2-1 victory at Sunderland on December 26, 2002, smashing home an equaliser just after half-time from Jason Wilcox’s cross.
Milner, now 40 and playing at Brighton, has had a distinguished career for club and country. He won 61 caps for England and holds the Premier League appearance record after also representing Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.
4. Wayne Rooney — 16 years and 360 days old
Teenage titan Rooney said later that it was his ambition to score a Premier League goal before his 17th birthday and he did so against Arsenal on October 19, 2002.
Rooney announced himself to the football world and ended Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run simultaneously with a spectacular Goodison Park 25-yard winner that flew over the head of England goalkeeper David Seaman and went in off the underside of the crossbar.
The forward, who went on to have a trophy-laden 13-year spell at Manchester United before rejoining Everton and playing for D.C. United and Derby, won 120 caps for England and captained his country.
– Olley: Dowman was Arteta’s risk, but it paid off tremendously for Arsenal
– Hamilton: How James Milner broke Premier League’s appearance record
5. Rio Ngumoha — 16 years and 361 days old
Ngumoha became the first 16-year-old since Rooney to score a Premier League winner with his dramatic decider at St. James’ Park.
Showing remarkable composure after Liverpool had let slip a two-goal lead against 10-man Newcastle, Ngumoha finished unerringly into the bottom corner of Nick Pope‘s net from Mohamed Salah‘s cross.
Ngumoha left Chelsea to join Liverpool in the summer of 2024 and became the youngest player to start a match for the Reds — aged 16 years and 135 days old — in a 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington.
Honourable mentions
Cesc Fàbregas — 17 years and 113 days old
Fàbregas announced himself as one of English football’s most exciting prospects when he scored his first Premier League goal for Arsenal vs. Blackburn Rovers on August 25, 2004.
The Spaniard would go on to become a central figures in Arsene Wenger’s side, eventually captaining the club before returning to boyhood club Barcelona in 2011.
He later won two Premier League titles with Chelsea and earned more than 100 caps for Spain, lifting both the World Cup and two European championships.
Michael Owen — 17 years and 143 days old
A player that needs little introduction, Owen burst onto the scene when he scored in Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Wimbledon on May 6, 1997.
The teenage striker displayed the blistering pace and clinical finishing that quickly made him one of the most feared forwards England has ever produced, and a highly sought after transfer prospect.
He won the Golden Boot twice before claiming the 2001 Ballon d’Or — becoming England’s fourth and most recent winner of the award.
Ethan Nwaneri — 17 years and 247 days old
It’s worth mentioning the precocious Hale End graduate whose goalscoring record was broken by Max Dowman on Saturday.
Nwaneri had made himself Arsenal’s youngest ever Premier League goalscorer in 2024 when he got on the end of a low cross to finish smartly and seal a 3-0 win vs. Nottingham Forest.
But one record that Nwaneri kept safe from Dowman’s rapid rise was his age on his league debut — 15 years and 181 days old on Sep. 18, 2022 vs. Brentford. Dowman managed the feat when he was 54 days older.
Information from PA was used in this report.
