Liverpool teenager Ben Doak became the youngest Scottish player to ever appear in the Premier League after making his top flight debut against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
The Reds ran out 3-1 winners at Villa Park as another youngster in Stefan Bajcetic grabbed the headlines with his first goal for the club, before Doak himself made his own history with a brief cameo towards the end of the game.
But just who is Liverpool ’s latest record breaker? Mirror Football tells you all you need to know about Doak, including who he is, where he’s from and what’s been said about him.
Who is Ben Doak?
Doak plays as a winger for Liverpool after signing from Celtic back in March, with the Reds paying the Scottish giants training compensation of around £600,000.
Born on November 11, 2005, in Dalry, Scotland, the 17-year-old began his youth career with hometown club Dalry Rovers and then Ayr United, before signing for Celtic. His grandfather, Martin Doak, was also a footballer.
At international level, Doak has represented Scotland at U16 and U17 level, scoring four goals in six games for the latter, while he made his U21 debut earlier this year and became their youngest ever goalscorer after notching against Northern Ireland in September.
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Career so far
At just 16-years-old, Doak was named in his first Celtic matchday squad for the Boxing Day victory over St. Johnstone in 2021, before making his debut the following month against Dundee United in the SPL. He registered two senior appearances for the Bhoys.
Since joining Liverpool in March, Doak has gone on to register two senior appearances - both of which came in the current campaign. After coming off the bench to make his debut against Derby County in the Carabao Cup in November, he made his Premier League debut with another substitute appearance against Aston Villa on December 26.
So far in the 2022/23 season, the 17-year-old has eight goals and six assists in 15 games for Liverpool’s youth sides. That includes four goals and four assists in the UEFA Youth League as the Reds topped their group with five wins from six games.
What’s been said about him?
Doak impressed in his brief cameo against Aston Villa on Boxing Day, with Jurgen Klopp echoing the thoughts of many when he said “what a dribbler he is” in his post-match interview. However, he isn’t the only one to have sung the praises of the 17-year-old.
Doak’s agent, former Celtic and Scotland full-back Jackie McNamara, compared his client to former England striker Wayne Rooney earlier this year. He said: "He's a Scottish Rooney. That's what I said to Ange (Postecoglou) at Celtic, I told him I've never seen anything like Ben."
While former Celtic B team manager, Tommy McIntyre, also said: "He's so exciting because he's a player that gets fans off their seat - when he gets the ball, he's so direct. He's got blistering pace and has a trick as well. He can get past people, he provides crosses into the box, he creates chances, he finishes."
