Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere has made an impassioned plea for his former protege Max Dowman to make England’s World Cup squad.The Hatters’ head coach, who played Dowman as a 13-year-old in his Arsenal Under-18 team, insisted Spain wouldn’t hesitate to cap him.Arsenal’s teenage sensation Dowman is a potential wildcard pick for EnglandGettyDowman is currently living up to talkSPORT.com’s pre-season prediction to burst into the Gunners’ first-team this campaign.The 16-year-old registered an assist on his senior debut for the club in their 5-0 win over Leeds United in August.Injury slowed his progress, before Dowman the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer in a 2-0 victory over Everton last month.The teenager underlined calls for him to earn a wildcard spot in the England squad for the World Cup with his heroics for England’s Under-19s.However, Wilshere has long since been banging the drum in support of Dowman who was predicted to become a world-beater by Simon Jordan.In April 2024, the now-Luton gaffer publicly shared his desire to fastrack the then-14-year-old into Arsenal’s first-team.Wilshere: ‘Dowman was better at 16 than me’Under Wilshere, Dowman, described by Declan Rice as the best of his age in the country, also made Youth League history months later.The former has now gone one step further by arguing that his ex-protegee’s natural skill even exceeds his own Arsenal breakthrough.Wilshere told The Telegraph: “I remember calling my dad and saying, ‘Dad, you need to come and watch this kid. I think he is better than me’. My dad is very biased towards me. He thinks I am the best player.Only Fabregas had appeared at a younger age for Arsenal than Wilshere in the pre-Arteta eraGettyWilshere has since been overtaken by his former Arsenal U18 player, Dowman (middle row)GettyArsenal's youngest playersEthan Nwaneri – 15y 181d vs Brentford, September 2022Max Dowman – 15y 235d vs Leeds United, August 2025Jack Porter – 16y 72d vs Bolton Wanderers, September 2024Marli Salmon – 16y 103d vs Club Brugge, December 2025Cesc Fabregas – 16y 177d vs Rotherham, October 2003Jack Wilshere – 16y 256d vs Blackburn Rovers, September 2008“It actually gets to the point where I argue with him sometimes, Wilshere added. “I don’t want to put pressure on him [Dowman], but there is so much now anyway.”One of Wilshere’s arguments in favour of Dowman is the latter’s maiden Premier League strike – “I don’t score that goal at 16.” “Look at his [Dowman’s] physical capabilities,” he continued. At 13, 14, he was getting the highest numbers in the Under-18s for his sprints, and his high-intensity running. He was just robust. “He would get kicked by people four or five years older than him. Generally, I tried to give him support – almost like a mentor – and an understanding of what Mikel would eventually want from him. But the rest – his technique – was just natural. His ability to dribble, the timing. Yeah, he was a different level to everyone.”Spain would take him to World CupAnother Arsenal player, Theo Walcott, currently holds the record as the youngest senior England debutant after receiving his first cap.Walcott was called up to the England squad for the 2006 World Cup and didn’t play a single minute despite a massive ACL injury to Michael Owen which happened in the first gameAFPWalcott was just 17 years and 75 days when he featured against Hungary in May 2006, having only made 23 first-team appearances.He went on be named in the Three Lions’ World Cup squad that year, which is the path Dowman is hoping to follow this summer.On whether Thomas Tuchel should make that decision, Wilshere replied: “The only thing I would say is, Spain would take him. “That’s what I think. We have this way at times in England of building them up but then protecting them. You get caught in that [place]: ‘If he goes what will people say?’ He [Dowman] is definitely good enough. Even if he goes and he doesn’t play that much. Which I think he can. I think he is good enough.“He is going to be there eventually. I understand people saying, ‘Maybe not’. But I also think [Lamine] Yamal went as a 16-year-old [to Euro 2024] and he was the best player in the tournament.”Lamine Yamal was handed the Best Young player trophy after winning UEFA Euro 2024AFPDowman broke a 21-year Premier League record with his goal against EvertonGetty“Let’s see what he does between now and the end of the season with Arsenal,” Wilshere said. “Because he also has to play at some point. “I do think there are better processes in place for all that. I do think the FA is set up better to create pathways and they are aware of what is happening around them. “There are things in the playing style that are aligned. It does help. It wouldn’t have happened back then [in 2010].”