Myles Lewis-Skelly has been the talk of the town ever since his incredible ascent from Arsenal academy product to first-team mainstay. The young talent debuted for Arsenal in September against Manchester City, a high-stakes match that marked the beginning of an impressive career trajectory. He’s gone on to make 25 appearances for the club since. Now, he is brilliant in an inverted full-back role and has been one of the most important players in the team.
Lewis-Skelly’s dream was further realized as he became the youngest player to score on his debut for the England national team. It was his first goal for Arsenal and it would come in a classic with the then-reigning champions at the Emirates Stadium. His victory lap and celebration somehow made the moment even more special. He even bust out a playful imitation of fellow striker Erling Haaland, strutting around the pitch and exuding youth and audacity.
Lewis-Skelly’s formative footballing experience started at the Hale End academy. He worked his way through the ranks as a field player before moving to goalkeeper full-time. Perhaps most importantly, his ability to adapt has impressed fans and teammates at every turn. Declan Rice, a veteran player at Arsenal, has taken on a mentorship role, guiding Lewis-Skelly through the challenges of professional football.
Rice, in particular, pointed to the drastic improvement of Lewis-Skelly as the season progressed. “I was so impressed,” he said. Maybe from the fact that at the beginning of the week that he stayed with me, he was very quiet. And then suddenly by the end of the week, I was barely seeing him at all! This change is telling of his improved confidence and ability to create space for his teammates.
During an earlier game away to Manchester City, joining Haaland’s phenomenon, the Norwegian had approached Lewis-Skelly with interest. Within all of the frenetic, stormy action on the pitch he queried him — who are you? The young player’s response came soon after, as he netted his first goal against Haaland’s team, proving his mettle on a grand stage. It was incredible to… to score my first goal for the club, that I grew up supporting, so it means the world. It’s unbelievable!” It’s just an indication of how important that moment was to him personally, Lewis-Skelly emphasized.
In addition to one-on-one encouragement, Rice’s mentorship includes reminding the students to stay on track as a team. “We can’t afford to lose even one game,” said Rice. “Like the manager says, we have to just control what we can control and that’s winning football matches ourselves.” This mentality will be vital for a young player like Lewis-Skelly as he adjusts to the pressures of high-level competition.
When Arsenal are fighting for trophies this season, the impact Lewis-Skelly is set to have will be crucial. As Rice said, “You can’t put it in their hands” by having the team depend on other clubs’ results. “We can’t rely on others or rely on Liverpool losing games because they’ve got themselves in the position they’ve got themselves into,” he added. “It’s down to us to now win our remaining games and see what happens.”
The young rising star’s versatility, defensive prowess and understanding of the game has had fellow players and coaches marveling. Rice mentioned how much his teammates enjoy having Lewis-Skelly around: “I had loads of the lads coming up to me saying how much they love him, what a guy he is!”
This wave of love and admiration showcases not just Lewis-Skelly’s footballing talents but treasured character off the pitch. He has rapidly established himself as a key member of the Arsenal squad, displaying the huff and puff mentality that the Gooners love to see.
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