Arsenal have confirmed that Max Dowman has won the 2025/26 Emirates Goal of the Season award, with fans voting his late strike against Everton as the standout moment of the campaign.
“Max Dowman’s historic late strike against Everton has been voted by our supporters as the Emirates Goal of the Season for 2025/26.
“The teenager’s first strike in red and white saw him pick up 38% of the votes to clinch the award, having won our Goal of the Month prize for his solo effort back in March,” a club statement on its website on Wednesday read.
He finished ahead of Martin Zubimendi’s volley against Nottingham Forest and Leah Williamson’s header against Leicester City.
It continued, “Martin Zubimendi’s volley against Nottingham Forest back in September came second in our club-wide poll with 17% of the ballot, while Leah Williamson’s header against Leicester City came third with 11%.”
Dowman’s winning goal came in dramatic fashion against Everton after a late scramble in Arsenal’s box and a rapid counterattack.
“Max’s magical moment came at the end of a nerve-racking encounter with the Toffees, as we looked to clinch a massive win to keep the pressure on our title rivals by moving nine points clear at the top,” the release detailed.
After Viktor Gyökeres had given Arsenal a late lead in the 89th minute, Everton pushed forward—including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford—but were punished on the break.
“After the youngster’s cross had led to Viktor Gyokeres putting us 1-0 ahead in the 89th minute, the visitors won a late corner and sent everyone forward, including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
“However, after it was cleared to the edge of the box, the ball dropped to Dowman 75 yards from goal,” it further noted.
Dowman then burst clear, beating two challenges before finishing into an empty net to seal a landmark moment in his breakthrough season.
The statement on the club website detailed the moment, noting, “He sped past Vitali Mykolenko and then skipped a challenge from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to leave him through on goal with the net empty, allowing him the simple task to become both Arsenal’s and the Premier League’s youngest-ever scorer aged 16 years and 73 days.”
The teenager’s debut season also saw him set multiple records across competitions, including becoming the second-youngest Premier League player and the youngest Champions League player in history.
“In November, he also became the Champions League’s youngest player at 15 years and 308 days when he played against Slavia Prague, and won the Premier League Home Grown Debutant of the Season Award following a historic first campaign for us,” it concluded.
Dowman’s award caps a record-breaking season that has firmly established him as one of Arsenal’s standout young talents, the club noted.