How Max Dowman and Lamine Yamal are similar — Mikel Merino provides the details

Mikel Merino drew direct comparisons between Arsenal teenager Max Dowman and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal following the 16-year-old's performance in the EFL Cup.

The Spain international addressed the media following Arsenal's 4-2 third-round victory over Ipswich Town on Tuesday, September 15, where Dowman scored two goals and provided an assist.

Merino, who shares a dressing room with Dowman at Arsenal and Yamal with the Spain national team, highlighted the psychological similarities between the two teenage players.

"Yeah, I would say there are some similarities in terms of their character," Merino explained, as quoted by Sky Sports. 

"They don’t care about the spotlight, they thrive when pressure is at the highest, they are always up for the challenge and they are not shy at all."

"The good thing with these kind of players – Lamine and Max – is that they are special talents, but at the same time they are very humble," Merino added.

The comparisons follow Dowman's display at Portman Road, which further established his status as a prominent prospect.

By finding the net twice against Ipswich, Dowman became the first player to score multiple goals in a match for Arsenal before turning 17.

At 16 years and 258 days old, the midfielder also became the second-youngest player to score for a Premier League team in League Cup history, trailing only former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, who scored against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2003 aged 16 years and 212 days.

The output saw Dowman match Wayne Rooney as the second 16-year-old to score a brace for a Premier League club in the competition.

The EFL Cup performance continues a steady progression for the academy graduate, who previously became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history.

Dowman set the milestone by scoring his debut senior goal against Everton in March 2026 at the age of 16 years and 77 days.

The rapid rise has drawn parallels to Yamal, who established his credentials by winning the 2025/26 LALIGA title with Barcelona and the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain.

"He is a big talent, and we have to take care of him," Merino concluded regarding Dowman. "There is still big room for improvement in a lot of areas and he knows that, so we are going to be by his side trying to get him to his best level."