Arsenal F.C.’s Max Dowman has written his name into the Premier League history books, becoming the youngest player ever to win the title at just 16 years and 144 days old.
The teenage midfielder now tops a rare list, overtaking Phil Foden as the youngest title winner in the competition’s history.
Dowman, who has featured enough times this season to qualify for a winner’s medal, was among the 40 Arsenal players and staff to receive the commemorative award after meeting the appearance requirement.
His achievement adds another milestone to an already remarkable breakthrough campaign.
As the 16-year-old celebrates a record-setting season, we take a look back at 10 other players who lifted the Premier League trophy while still in their teenage years.
Dowman was already a record-holder after becoming the youngest Premier League goalscorer with a superb solo strike to clinch Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton F.C. in January, when he was aged 16 years and 73 days.
He also set another record on the final day when he became the youngest starter in Premier League history at 16 years and 144 days after being named in the starting XI at Selhurst Park.
Below, we look at the next 10 youngest players to win the Premier League, having made at least five appearances in a title-winning campaign.
1. Phil Foden – 17 years, 350 days (Manchester City F.C., 2017/18)
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Foden was previously the youngest player to win a Premier League title, having made his record-clinching fifth appearance in Man City’s final game of the 2017/18 season against Southampton F.C.. He was on the pitch for Gabriel Jesus’ winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, a goal that took City to a record 100-point haul. The first assist of Foden’s Premier League career came for Sergio Agüero in a 5-1 win over Leicester City F.C. in February 2018.
2. Rico Lewis – 18 years, 188 days (Manchester City, 2022/23)
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Lewis was thrown in at the deep end when Man City won the title in 2022/23. Despite not starting a game until 28 December — a 3-1 win at Leeds United F.C. — he finished the campaign with 10 league starts, impressing in a defender-midfielder hybrid role. City manager Pep Guardiola described his impact as “extraordinary” after he came on at half-time in a 1-0 win over Chelsea F.C. in January that season.
3. Brahim Díaz – 18 years, 283 days (Manchester City, 2017/18)
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Díaz came on for his fifth appearance of the season four minutes before Foden in City’s victory against Southampton in May 2018. In doing so, he became the first — and still the only — Moroccan player to win a Premier League title. By the age of 22, he had also won La Liga and Serie A titles.
4. Gaël Clichy – 18 years, 294 days (Arsenal, 2003/04)
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Clichy held the record as the Premier League’s youngest title-winning player for 14 years before Foden and Díaz surpassed him in 2017/18. The Frenchman served as backup to Ashley Cole at left-back during Arsenal’s “Invincibles” campaign in 2003/04, starting six matches in a nine-game spell after Cole suffered an injury in December 2003.
5. Rafael da Silva – 18 years, 319 days (Manchester United F.C., 2008/09)
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Rafael played more than 1,000 minutes in the 2008/09 Premier League season for Manchester United. His first Premier League goal came in the final minute of a 2-1 defeat away to Arsenal in November 2008. His twin brother, Fábio da Silva, could have matched him on this list, but none of his appearances that season came in the league.
6. Nicolas Anelka – 19 years, 57 days (Arsenal, 1997/98)
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Anelka was Arsène Wenger’s first official signing as Arsenal manager and arguably had the biggest influence of any player on this list in helping his side win the title.
The Frenchman broke into the team after an injury to Ian Wright and played a key role in Arsenal’s Premier League and FA Cup double — the club’s first trophies under Wenger.
7. Neco Williams – 19 years, 104 days (Liverpool F.C., 2019/20)
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Williams started three of Liverpool’s final five matches as the Reds secured the title in 2019/20 with 99 points, featuring at both right-back and left-back as cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson.
All six of Williams’ appearances that season came in June and July after the competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
8. Phil Neville – 19 years, 105 days (Manchester United, 1995/96)
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After Neville was substituted at half-time in Man Utd’s 3-1 opening-day defeat at Aston Villa F.C., TV pundit and former Liverpool F.C. captain Alan Hansen famously declared, “You can’t win anything with kids.”
United went on to win the Premier League and FA Cup double that season. Neville also assisted Eric Cantona’s winner in a 1-0 victory at Newcastle United F.C. in March — a crucial result in the title race.
9. Ryan Giggs – 19 years, 161 days (Manchester United, 1992/93)
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Giggs had already completed a full season in the old First Division with Man Utd in 1991/92, but he played a major role as the club became the inaugural Premier League champions in 1992/93.
He missed just one of the team’s 42 league matches.
10. Curtis Jones – 19 years, 178 days (Liverpool, 2019/20)
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Jones follows Williams as the second player from Liverpool’s 2019/20 title-winning squad to appear on this list.
His first Premier League goal came late in Liverpool’s 2-0 home win over Aston Villa in July 2020, sealing a 17th consecutive league victory for the Reds during an extraordinary campaign.
