MAX DOWMAN made history by becoming the youngest player ever to represent England at the Under-21 level, debuting at just 16 years old.

The teenager’s entry in the second half drew the loudest cheer of the evening at Ashton Gate, even as Lee Carsley’s team fell 1-0 to Portugal.

Dowman’s performance, which Carsley praised as “outstanding,” officially broke the previous record set by Jude Bellingham by almost FOUR MONTHS.

Introduced at the hour mark, the Arsenal starlet could not help shift the momentum in favor of England but did showcase some excellent skill.

Before the match, England manager Carsley emphasized that this game was an opportunity to evaluate his younger talents against a formidable opponent in preparation for the next summer’s U21 Euros.

It indeed proved to be a challenge for the Young Lions, as they faced a Portugal squad stacked with high-level players from the Primeira Liga, Ligue 1, and beyond.

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Divin Mubama took an early shot, attempting to lob Portugal’s goalkeeper Joao Carvalho from a distance of 30 yards after intercepting a misplaced pass from Goncalo Oliveira.

Unfortunately, the Southampton loanee miscalculated his attempt, watching the ball veer wide of the goal.

Portugal capitalized before the half-hour mark when Bayer Leverkusen star Alfonso Moreira maneuvered into the box and sent a fierce shot toward Tommy Setford, which the Arsenal prospect inadvertently redirected into his own net, a moment he will surely want to forget.

From that point on, England faced a steep challenge, given Portugal’s exceptional defense that conceded just TWO GOALS during their 10 European qualification matches.

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Carsley’s squad discovered how challenging it was to get past that formidable defense, failing to register a single shot on target until the 75th minute.

Their first attempt on target came from Tottenham’s Mikey Moore, currently on loan at Koln, whose strike tested Carvalho’s gloves but could not secure a last-minute equalizer on his U21 debut.

After the match, Carsley commented on Dowman’s performance: “We have three games left before the Euros [next summer].

“It’s vital that he puts himself in contention for a spot on the plane.

“He must continue performing well, getting minutes, and demonstrating the great attitude he has shown.

“I thought he was outstanding when he came on tonight. All the substitutes made a significant impact.

“Max was unlucky not to get an assist, as he made a fantastic pass to Mikey Moore.


”He occupied some excellent positions, both centrally and on the flanks, and he certainly has a bright future ahead.”

Regarding Dowman’s debut, Everton’s Harrison Armstrong said: “It was a huge moment for him. He took it in stride remarkably well.

“His performance for Arsenal speaks for itself. I’ve played alongside Max in various England age groups; he’s a genuinely good kid who works tirelessly.”

Armstrong added: “He’s an exceptional player. It’s just about him securing consistent playing time and being managed correctly, but he’s definitely on a great path right now.”