{"id":6273,"date":"2026-05-09T05:04:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T05:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=6273"},"modified":"2026-05-09T05:04:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T05:04:58","slug":"theo-walcott-urges-arsenal-star-to-reject-england-call-up-for-the-world-cup-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=6273","title":{"rendered":"Theo Walcott urges Arsenal star to reject England call-up for the World Cup | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Max Dowman is the Premier League\u2019s youngest-ever goalscorer (AMA\/Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theo Walcott \u2018hopes\u2019 Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman is not called up by Thomas Tuchel for England\u2019s World Cup campaign this summer.<\/p>\n

Dowman is widely regarded as one of the best young prospects in English football and back in March, the 16-year-old became the Premier League\u2019s youngest-ever goalscorer with a brilliant solo effort in Arsenal\u2019s 2-0 win over Everton.<\/p>\n

Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has likened Downman to Lionel Messi, while Tuchel has refused to rule out the prospect of including the uncapped midfielder in his World Cup squad.<\/p>\n

England will announce their preliminary squad for the tournament on Monday, with the final 26-man squad to be confirmed by May 30.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think he is at the moment competing and obviously a fantastic talent and an outstanding talent and at his age there cannot be a doubt about it,\u2019 Tuchel said of Dowman in March.<\/p>\n

\u2018Everyone who tells me about Max praises him and is full of compliments about him. The reality at the moment is also that he competes for minutes, he is not a regular starter for Arsenal.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s in a fantastic environment, the best possible environment. In a competitive and stable club. In a club where teamwork is the number one rule. He\u2019s learning from the very best, in the very best environment.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Thomas Tuchel has refused to rule out the prospect of calling up Max Dowman for England (Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018With these young guys, of course we know all these players. We see them as you do as well. At the moment I think he is in a good place to fight for his minutes at Arsenal. We always have the chance to call him, maybe, up for the World Cup.\u2019<\/p>\n

Walcott was in a similar position in 2006 when he was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson for England\u2019s World Cup campaign at the age of 17 and with no playing time in the Premier League.<\/p>\n

Former Arsenal forward Walcott insists he would advise Dowman not to rush his senior debut for England and believes Arsenal are doing the right thing by \u2018protecting\u2019 the 16-year-old.<\/p>\n

\u2018I hope he doesn\u2019t go,\u2019 Walcott said in an interview with The Mirror.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Theo Walcott was a surprise inclusion in England\u2019s 2006 World Cup squad (Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t mean it in a horrible way because if I could go back in time, I would change things. I would say to myself, \u2018no, no, don\u2019t do it\u2019, but then try telling that to a 17-year-old.<\/p>\n

\u2018I do still see him and me differently as he\u2019s playing in the Premier League but he needs to grow at his own pace, especially on the emotional side because he\u2019s a young adult.<\/p>\n

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Should England take Dowman to the World Cup?<\/h3>\n