r/sports • u/but_yet-so_far • 1d ago
Soccer Max Dowman makes his debut as Arsenal player at 15 years, 235 days and is the 2nd youngest player to play in the Premier League
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u/txbyhull 1d ago
For those playing along at home, he’s 1 day off of being born in 2010
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u/Merry_Dankmas 1d ago
Fucking christ, i was only a year from entering high school at that time and my fiance was already in her sophomore year. That's some wild perspective.
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u/perpetualmotionmachi 1d ago
Shit, I didn't go to university until I was 24, and was two years out of it before he was born
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u/hereismarkluis 23h ago
I was out of the high school.. I’m at the age that a football player is retiring but I remember when all of them were older than me haha
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u/ennuinerdog 1d ago
Good luck to him. Must be very hard to have healthy mental development rising this fast and this publicly when your brain is still in fairly early development.
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u/Infinite_Crow_3706 1d ago
He looked very composed.
Won the penalty for #5 through guile and a little gamesmanship. I hope Arsenal look after him and don't overplay this boy.
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u/DevilsWelshAdvocate 1d ago
A little gamesmanship when it’s an English talent
Diving when it’s a south American
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u/timurt421 1d ago
They’ve done pretty well by Saka so far, tbf
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u/Spunk-Nugget 1d ago
is this satire? saka has notably played far more minutes than he should be to avoid burnout/injury and arteta has been criticised for this
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u/UnexpectedVader 1d ago
Done well by him in terms of making him one of the best wingers in the world
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u/Spunk-Nugget 1d ago
completely agree, i just assumed the commenter was referring to arsenal doing well by him referring to sufficient rest
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u/Bamboozle_ 1d ago
He does have a good number of players who have gone through/are going through the same thing there with him, which should help somewhat (Nwaneri/Saka/MLS).
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u/vbvahunter 1d ago
The brain isn’t even fully developed until ~25 yrs old. I’m sure the pressure takes a worse toll on the younger athletes than the older ones
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u/kots144 Oakland Athletics 16h ago
It really just depends. I pitched for a regional championship game which ended up going to extra innings at around 15. The pitcher on the other team had a panic attack on the mound, while I always loved playing under pressure and pitched some of the best baseball of my life. Kids can react pretty differently.
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u/NoctisInformatus 1d ago
You just have to focus on the game and nothing else. You're living out your passion so early in life. What a gift!
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u/Tone2600 1d ago edited 1d ago
As the saying goes in football, if you're good enough - you're old enough.
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u/jverbal 1d ago
And if you've seen this kids' highlight reel, he's definitely good enough
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u/pataglop 1d ago
Is he able to run with the ball in the goals ?
If so, he's a true gunner already
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u/maver1kUS 1d ago
Not sure about that, in sports or anything else. Soon we’ll be having 13 and 14 year olds thrust into the limelight.
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u/Ruma-park 1d ago
Unlikely in major sports but already quite normal in the Olympics, not sure what's the issue though?
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u/maver1kUS 1d ago
That is wrong too. The issue is you are not allowing children to enjoy their childhood. You’re already seeing the nonsense with children in influencer content, reality shows and beauty pageants. Why? Because grown ass adult losers need to be entertained?
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u/Ruma-park 1d ago
You don't think a 15 year old enjoys playing in the premiership?
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u/Small_Insect_8275 1d ago
Lmao you just type words without even considering if the sentence is correct
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u/Boggie135 1d ago
There already are 13 and 14-year-olds in some sports
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u/maver1kUS 1d ago
And? That somehow justifies it? We need to stop normalizing young children being forced into competitive sports, especially contact sports.
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u/SaulTNNutz 1d ago
Can confirm. I teach high school and every sophomore boy in the school has that haircut
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u/elementofpee 1d ago
The broccoli, the alpaca, the bird’s nest, etc. There will be jokes/regrets when they look back in 20 years.
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u/worldstarhiphopreal 1d ago
It looks good
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u/birdsword 1d ago
This kids gonna be a baller if he stays healthy and keeps his head on straight. Obviously at a club that is doing well with youth development so I would say he has an excellent shot.
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u/Educational-Hunt2683 1d ago
My mouth is agape. Fucking 15 years old is insane
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u/DietPepsi00 1d ago
And illegal
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u/Boggie135 1d ago
?
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u/kytheon 1d ago
Bless your heart and your reading skills
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u/pleaseexcusemethanks 7h ago
"year olds" must be what you thought they said. Bless your heart and reading skills
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u/thierryh14 1d ago
It literally isn't, but whatever lol
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u/redrumyliad 1d ago
To fuck a 15 year old? Yes it is, which is the joke you got wooooshed on lol
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u/theyoloGod 1d ago
Imagine having a couple years left of high school but playing professionally. Damn
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u/Gorillainabikini 1d ago
🤓🤓🤓 technically he’s English so he has 2 years of secondary school left
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u/Dracotoo 19h ago
If he’s 15 then he has one left actually.
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u/Infinite_Crow_3706 1d ago
Arsenal's Academy, not high school for elite players
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u/PeacefulIntentions 1d ago
Although he will have tutors available at Arsenal they don’t homeschool young players like Chelsea do. They still go to regular school to complete their studies.
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u/KuytHasGout 1d ago
So that means he’s actually not even actually started Year 11 yet, jfc that’s nuts
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u/GhandiHadAGrapeHead 1d ago
Imagine we were fucking about playing FIFA 13 while he was getting his arse wiped
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u/Thing_On_Your_Shelf 1d ago
My brain can’t handle the thought of being a freshman in high school and playing a professional sport
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u/perpetualmotionmachi 1d ago
Yeah, at least Kobe and LeBron got to finish high school before they went pro.
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u/Glizzock22 1d ago
I’m old enough to remember when 16 year old Jack Wilshere made his Arsenal debut..
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u/maxman1313 Carolina Hurricanes 1d ago
I so wanted them to let him take the pen at the end of the game.
I know why they wouldn't, but man it woulda been awesome.
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u/EL-Chapo_Jr 1d ago
Won a penalty and Rice didn't let him take it. Lmao
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u/Potential-Jury3661 1d ago
Thats usually how it plays out though, not every penalty earned means its a pentaly shot for the player
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u/EL-Chapo_Jr 1d ago
They were 4-0 up though.
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u/Seige_Rootz Los Angeles Dodgers 1d ago
Gyokeres is there for a reason give him the reps early for when it matters later
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u/Sharky-bites 1d ago edited 1d ago
Exactly. Gotta get your CMF scoring goals. Especially in the beginning of the season. Especially when he’s a new signing and received a fair amount of hate game week 1.
Edit: as people point out below I definitely meant CF.
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u/consciousmanchild 1d ago
What the fuck is a CMF?
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u/webbc99 1d ago
Central Midfielder. Guy right in the middle of all the action.
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u/consciousmanchild 1d ago
Yeh but Gyokeres is a striker, that's who you want getting early season goals
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u/Infinite_Crow_3706 1d ago
That's not how it works. Arsenals penalty taker is going to be Gyokeres regardless of who wins it.
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u/EL-Chapo_Jr 1d ago
Yeah but why not say fuck the system for this moment. 4-0 up, 15 year old won the pen. Give it to him.
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u/blankdreamer 1d ago
Are they physically and psychologically ready at 15 for that sort of pressure and stress? Be interesting to see how he develops.
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u/jbi1000 1d ago
Some prove they are, some prove they aren't.
But in the modern club academies these young lads are pretty much being built for this moment from 8 years old. He will have had on one hand some of the best preparation in terms of coaching and psychology, and on the other hand will have been dealing with the pressure of keeping his place in the youth teams for years already at this point.
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u/uzi_soup 1d ago
Not even an Arsenal fan but the kid has some serious potential. Nwaneri is also really talented
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u/bassacre 1d ago
He must be totally badass if they were like yo this 15 year old would make a great addition to our squad.
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u/PhuckCalumbo 1d ago
What the fuck. I'm twice his age and I get nervous playing overtime in Rocket League.
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u/Goldhinize 12h ago
If they would’ve let him take the PK he earned at the end, he likely would’ve had a goal to go with his 1st appearance. 🤷♂️
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u/gomurifle 1d ago
The teenaged football pros are always "mature old looking for their age teens" was there ever a late bloomer boy-like teen ever going pro before?
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u/Myomyw 1d ago
The very fact that a teenager can play at this level means their body has already developed enough to compete with grown men. By definition, you won’t find a kid who still looks like a boy thriving here, because if they hadn’t matured, they wouldn’t be on the field in the first place.
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u/NoahApples 1d ago
No. If you haven’t had a right-side-of-the-bell-curve advanced adolescent development, you won’t be able to play sports with professional adults extra young. It’s petty straightforward. Plenty of savant children and late bloomers who end up in the pros, but… not extra early if their body isn’t preternaturally ready.
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u/jimbranningstuntman 1d ago
Celtic had a little 13 year old in the youth squad a few years back i think. He looked tiny
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u/talwaredge 1d ago
Max….it’s in the name I guess (to start competitive sports at as Min age as possible)
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Seems child labour is a good thing now…
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u/OnTheMattack Winnipeg Jets 1d ago
Teenagers have jobs all the time. Sure beats working at the hardware store.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Yes, that’s clearly the same as this…
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u/OnTheMattack Winnipeg Jets 1d ago
Ok if you're going to insist on being obtuse here's some relevant info that I'm sure you're lacking.
Dowman is not a full time pro. He still primarily plays and trains with the youth academy, where all the players still go to school full time. He was with the team during the preseason and the first few games of the season to get some experience. Work experience you might say. He was only even a sub for this game due to other players being injured, and he only played because of two more injuries that happened during this game. These are likely some of the only minutes he will play this year. Teams understand that rushing young players along generally isn't good for them.
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u/WTWIV 1d ago edited 1d ago
Playing a game at 15 is child labor? Damn I wonder what that means for me that I was doing actual manual labor for work at a large company at 15?
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u/HHHT 1d ago
I wish I got to do my child labour for Arsenal instead of doing it for McDonald’s.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Yes that justifies your ignorance here 🤦♂️
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u/YooGeOh 1d ago
Speaking of ignorance, give us a brief overview of the UK legislation that governs the legal working age of children in the UK, at what age they are allowed to do which kinds of work, the type of contract Dowman currently has (and the type he hasn't yet signed) that would play a big part in the nature of his employment by Arsenal, and the name of said legislation.
Please then explain how this information proves you right (if it does) in suggesting that 15year old Max Downman making his debut for Arsenal constitutes child labour.
No googling
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Here comes one of the men babies who define their existence around their choice of 11 men kicking a ball in a field 🤦♂️🤦♂️
Nice user name there - are you 5? 😂😂😂
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u/YooGeOh 1d ago
No. You made a point that suggests child labour. Im simply asking you to back it up.
No. Im a fair bit older than that. It's the phonetic spelling of the first 3 letters of my name (as reddit would allow me to do it given that a better version of it was already taken)
Silly childish attacks, yet you cant prove your point or have a grown up conversation, yet you're talking about man babies? The irony knows no bounds
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Nice attempt there but you’ve been outed 😂😂😂
Another man baby, desperate to attach someone else’s success onto their rather dull life 😂😂😂
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u/Surfing_Ninjas 1d ago
Says the internet troll who can only find validation by insulting strangers on the internet, and you're not even really good at that either. That sounds very frustrating, I'll pray for you buddy.
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u/YooGeOh 1d ago
Outed for asking you to clarify the basics of your statement?
Or outed as a person who happens to have a non English name?
You have further explanations to make...
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Ohhh look at you getting all demanding.
As expected really…
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u/Particular_Night_360 1d ago
Ignorance? I knew kids that started saving up for a car when they were 13. Three years of work outside of school and sports. That’s not child labor, that’s a kid washing dishes with a goal.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Yes, that’s clearly the same…
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u/Particular_Night_360 1d ago
That’s an exactly the same… but let’s play your game. Are child actors child labor? Harry Potter seemed to see a few kids on the right track.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
And thus proving why you miss the point.
Repeating the mistakes you made doesn’t make it right.
Go back to school
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u/WTWIV 1d ago
It was a mistake to earn money for myself legally and by my own choice? Okay “boy Dave” go off.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Yes, earning money is the only goal in life…
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u/Surfing_Ninjas 1d ago
This is basically every athlete's dream as a child. Every kid who loved playing sports growing up dreamed about getting this kind of opportunity. Also, children younger than this kid work way worse jobs than him for way worse pay, I was making like $10/hr detasseling as a 14 year old and hated it but loved the opportunity to make some money. The problem with child labor back in the day was that they barely got paid, they often worked in dangerous workplaces, and the economic systems they existed in were so corrupt and unregulated that they were basically forced into it so their families could eat. This is very, very different.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Again, that doesn’t make it right.
I’d say a kid getting a proper education and being well adjusted to the world is more important than trying to please some men babies whose whole existance is derived by a group of 11 men kicking a ball on a field 🤦♂️
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u/Surfing_Ninjas 1d ago
I would argue that you trying to get your brain to work is probably closer to child labor than this is.
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u/Boggie135 1d ago
Spurs fan?
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u/theboydave05 1d ago edited 22h ago
Thanks for proving my point about men babies who create their whole existence around a football team 😂😂😂
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u/Boggie135 23h ago
Your comment was about child labour though
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u/theboydave05 22h ago
Yes you struggling to read a whole thread is a “you issue”.
Thanks for playing x
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u/red_rob5 1d ago
The voting and comments in this thread blow my mind. Like how in any functional society is letting children play professional sports a good thing? Like sure, must be a dream for him, but can he not be allowed to finish school and reach a moderately more mentally/emotionally developed state before being put on such a huge stage? And thats saying nothing for the horrid exploitation of a franchise making millions off the back of a child like you stated. No lucrative compensation package makes up for all the time he's going to lose being young while working as a professional athlete. Its honestly pretty fucked.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Thanks for hitting the nail on the head exactly!
It’s amazing how many people simply want to attach his success to them and their chosen team, regardless of the price he may pay as an individual.
They simply don’t care about him and his growth, simply that he can help their chosen team of 11 men, kick a ball better than another team of 11 men.
They really are simple creatures these football fans - never the smart ones from school 😂😂😂
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u/Yinkypinky 1d ago
How is this child labour? You can be considered a child under 18 as well.
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Nice strawman 😂😂
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u/Yinkypinky 1d ago
You still didn’t answer the question. And it’s not a strawman if it’s a fact? Multiple restaurants hire people 15/16. Is that not ok ether?
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Again, you seem to struggle with equivalency 🤦♂️🤦♂️
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u/DinoSchlongo 1d ago
Yes it is a good thing. Why wouldnt it be?
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
🤦♂️
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u/DinoSchlongo 1d ago
Getting work experience at a young age while still also being able to go to school is a good thing. Care to try again?
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u/theboydave05 1d ago
Oh so you know his situation perfectly then?
Wow that’s some admission there.
Or are you just saying things and hoping they become true?
🤦♂️
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u/DinoSchlongo 1d ago
Admission of what? What situation are you trying to imply? He gets to display his talent to the world and play a fun sport at the highest level? Doesn't seem negative to me, mate.
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u/Impossible-Shine4660 1d ago
I’d check the fuck out of this kid first chance I got.
Because I’m bitter
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u/Sugarbear23 1d ago
The youngest ever Ethan Nwaneri is also playing in the game, currently 18 years old