Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly’s meteoric rise to the first team is also a subject on the lips of the jubilant Gunners’ fanbase.
Much has been made of Declan Rice’s duo of ‘Man of the Match’ awards across Arsenal’s 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid but a lot of eyes should be on Lewis-Skelly instead.
Lewis-Skelly may only be 18, but his football intelligence and demeanour are those of a player in the prime of his career. His tricky footwork and mazy runs from left-back have not been seen at the Bernabeu since the days of Marcelo.
In a brilliant debut season in professional football, Lewis-Skelly’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of incredible.
From Hale End to Champions League star
Lewis-Skelly is a boyhood Arsenal fan who joined the club’s prestigious Hale End academy at the age of eight.
After impressing at the various youth levels, he earned a promotion into Mikel Arteta’s first team during the current campaign, immediately impressing fans and pundits alike during the Christmas period.
The midfielder-turned-left back has become a pivotal part of Arteta’s setup, scoring his first professional goal in a 5-1 demolition of Manchester City in February.
Lewis-Skelly also starred in the first leg of the Gunners’ tie against Los Blancos, grabbing an assist for Mikel Merino’s clever finish.
Bursting onto the scene?
Exactly one year before being named in the starting XI of Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid, the Hale End star was playing against Stoke City U21s for his club. Now he is impressing on the biggest stage in European football.
£42 million signing Riccardo Calafiori has been displaced by the emergence of Lewis-Skelly, highlighting the fierce competition that the Gunners’ core players have from the younger squads.
Lewis-Skelly has been like a new signing for Arteta, plugging a position that has plagued the Arsenal boss since the start of last season.
Lewis-Skelly has caught the eye of Thomas Tuchel
The Arsenal youngster has not just impressed Arteta. Lewis-Skelly earned his first senior England cap in Thomas Tuchel’s inaugural game as England manager.
After scoring on his Three Lions debut against Albania, Lewis-Skelly was the recipient of praise from his international manager.
Tuchel hailed the 18-year-old’s performance after he said that the youngest England goalscorer since Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney played with a “natural confidence.”
The Arsenal player shone just a few days later as he put in another reassured display in the Three Lions’ 3-0 win over Latvia.
Lewis-Skelly was one of the few starters to avoid falling back into the sluggish tempo that became reminiscent of the latter part of Gareth Southgate’s reign.
It is crystal clear that Lewis-Skelly is set to shine under Tuchel’s tuition ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
What does the future hold for Myles Lewis-Skelly?
Arsenal find themselves in a Champions League semi-final. Lewis-Skelly is just three games away from lifting the trophy that has, so far, evaded the Gunners.
Even if Arteta’s side fail to lift silverware this campaign, Hale End’s latest starlet is sure to be an important part of the club’s future. If he keeps impressing, making the World Cup squad is a likely outcome.
However, being an Arsenal fan at heart, Lewis-Skelly will surely be hoping his side can end the club’s long wait for a Premier League title.
Whatever happens between now and the rest of the season, the rise of Myles Lewis-Skelly has been nothing short of mesmerising. Mikel Arteta has got an absolute gem on his hands.