Charlie Patino, the former Arsenal midfielder, spoke about his career from his home in northern Spain. He reflected on his breakthrough at Arsenal and looked ahead to his international future.
Watching a Fellow Hale End Graduate
Patino has been following the progress of Max Dowman, who recently became the Premier League’s youngest-ever scorer. Patino said, “The goal was all over my Instagram feed, so I saw it about a hundred times!”
Patino was winding down after an away game at the Estadio Alfonso Murube in Ceuta when Dowman made Premier League history. He was on the subs bench as Deportivo La Coruna boosted their chances of making a La Liga return with a stoppage-time winner.
Patino is really happy for Dowman, saying, “What Max has done so far is great. He’s still very young, like I was when I broke through. And like me, he has still got a lot of learning and growing to do. Hopefully we’ll cross paths one day and get to play with or against each other.”
Breakthrough at Arsenal
Patino made an immediate impact on his senior debut for Arsenal in late 2021, scoring 12 minutes after coming on in a Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Sunderland. A senior academy scout at Arsenal described him as “the best player to ever walk through the doors at Hale End”.
After the game, Patino posted a picture of his goal celebration on Instagram with the caption: “The best day of my life”. This post remains pinned at the top of Patino’s profile, with Arsenal supporters regularly leaving messages.
Support from the Fans
Patino is held in high regard by both Arsenal and Deportivo fans. He is also appreciated by fans from Blackpool and Swansea City, two clubs where he spent time on loan.
Patino commented on his interactions with the public: “When I’m walking around town, people always seem hesitant to come over for a chat or a picture. A lot of people see footballers’ lives as different but we’re humans too. We just kick a ball around.”
Patino stated, “I’m sure I will play for England or Spain one day… I have no doubt about it”.