At 16 years and 72 days old, Jack Porter of Premier League club Arsenal made history by becoming the youngest player to ever start for the first team. Porter made his debut in a 5-1 victory over League One’s Bolton in the Carabao Cup, filling in for David Raya after he suffered a thigh injury in a previous match against Manchester City. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by Cesc Fabregas at 16 years and 177 days when he made his first start in 2003.
Despite only recently turning 16 in July, Porter stepped in as the last available option for Arsenal, with other players unable to participate in the match due to various reasons. He is unable to sign a professional contract until he turns 17 the following year after signing scholarship terms over the summer. Porter has been training periodically with the first team since the 2022-23 season, and his recent efforts have earned him opportunities to play for England in the Under-17 team.
Under the guidance of Mark Mason, head of academy goalkeeping at Arsenal, Porter has been developing with the under-18 club. He is now the second youngest player to play for the Premier League club after Ethan Nwaneri, who made his debut at the age of 15 years and 181 days. Nwaneri scored twice in the recent match against Bolton, adding to the excitement surrounding the young talent emerging from Arsenal’s academy.
This achievement by Porter is part of a trend in which young academy players are getting opportunities with their respective first teams. Last week, another 16-year-old, Kaden Braithwaite from Manchester City, became the third youngest defender in club history to play for the team. These instances highlight the importance of investing in youth development programs to nurture and showcase talented individuals like Porter and Braithwaite, who have the potential to make significant contributions to their clubs in the future.
