Emile Smith Rowe admits first Arsenal goal topped winning the World Cup with England after announcing his arrival

Arsenal protégé scored a wonder goal to open his account for the club against Atletico Madrid and he has revealed his plans for the season ahead

Arsenal sensation Emile Smith Rowe has admitted that scoring a wonder goal to open his account for the club felt better than winning the Under-17s World Cup with England.

The 17-year-old scored his first goal for Arsenal in their pre-season penalty shootout defeat by Atletico Madrid in Thursday's International Champions Cup encounter, with the teenager dribbling from deep and unleashing a lovely curled effort that drew the Premier League side level after Luciano Vietto’s opener.

With the midfielder due to celebrate his 18th birthday this Saturday, the Croydon-born youngster compared his strike to the success that he tasted with the England Under-17s last October, and said that the two were not on the same level.

“It has to top that,” said Rowe Smith. “My first goal for Arsenal...

“It’s definitely an early [birthday] present, it’s just a dream come true. I still can’t believe it has happened.

“I came on tour thinking I wanted to impress the manager and do as well as I can. But to get a goal like that is so surreal. It’s crazy. I can’t really explain it — my head’s all over the place.”

New Arsenal manager Unai Emery has undergone something of a squad revamp this summer after replacing the long-serving Arsene Wenger, having made five signings already in the form of goalkeeper Bernd Leno, defenders Stephen Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos and midfielders Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi.

Smith Rowe curls home his wonder goal against Atletico Madrid (Reuters)

But he has also been looking into the club’s youth system for reinforcements, and as part of that Rowe Smith was given the late call to join the squad on their pre-season tour of Singapore.

Emery said: “He has grown up in the academy and we need to give young players the chance to work for us and play matches like today.”

With that in mind, the Spanish manager left it late before deciding to take Rowe Smith on tour.

“I only found out the day before the squad left that I was coming with them,” he added. “We had a training session on the Saturday and the kit man came up to me straight after and said, ‘Here’s your suitcase, you’re travelling.’

“Since that day, I’ve been so happy and have enjoyed every moment.

Smith Rowe has enjoyed training and playing with his more established teammates (Getty)

“All the players have been so welcoming. I know a couple of the young boys, I’ve played with them quite a lot. But to be with the older players and for them to be so welcoming is just great.

“I’ve trained with the senior team before but this is my only real chance that I’ve had so far. [Alexandre] Lacazette and [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang have looked out for me, they’re so funny and so welcoming.”

Arsenal complete their tour against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, before rounding out their pre-season plans against Chelsea in Dublin on 1 August and Lazio in Stockholm three days later.

But despite Arsenal having a history of sending a number of young players out on loan each season, Rowe Smith revealed that he will turn down any chance to leave the club temporarily in order to push for any first-team opportunities that may come his way.

Smith Rowe will reject any loan opportunities to fight for first-team football this season (Getty)

“My long-term goal is to get in the first team permanently but this season it’s to try to gets many minutes as I can in the Europa League and cups, and hopefully make my Premier League debut.

“I like to keep my feet on the ground and keep my head down and work hard. If I carry on doing that I don’t think the attention will get to me. I just have to keep working hard.”