Ben Doak

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ben Doak

| image =

| full_name = Ben Gunn Doak{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/3681595 |title=2023/24 Premier League squad lists |publisher=Premier League |date=13 September 2023 |access-date=14 September 2023}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|11|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dalry, North Ayrshire, Scotland{{cite web|url=https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/19583355.garnock-valley-friends-united-17-scotland-squad/|title=Garnock Valley: Friends are united for Under 17 Scotland squad|publisher=Adrossan & Saltcoats Herald|date=21 September 2021|accessdate=29 January 2022}}

| height = {{convert|1.76|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/ben-doak/ |title=Ben Doak: Profile |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |access-date=18 April 2024}}

| position = Right winger, attacking midfielder

| currentclub = Liverpool

| clubnumber = 50

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Dalry Rovers

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Ayr United

| youthyears3 =

| youthclubs3 = Celtic

| years1 = 2021–2022

| clubs1 = Celtic

| caps1 = 2

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2022–

| clubs2 = Liverpool

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2024–2025

| clubs3 = → Middlesbrough (loan)

| caps3 = 24

| goals3 = 3

| nationalyears1 = 2019

| nationalteam1 = Scotland U16

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2021–2022

| nationalteam2 = Scotland U17

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 4

| nationalyears3 = 2022–

| nationalteam3 = Scotland U21

| nationalcaps3 = 7

| nationalgoals3 = 2

| nationalyears4 = 2024–

| nationalteam4 = Scotland

| nationalcaps4 = 6

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| club-update = 17:37, 25 January 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 23:15, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

}}

Ben Gannon Doak (born 11 November 2005) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder for {{English football updater|Liverpoo}} club Liverpool and the Scotland national team.

Club career

Doak began his career at hometown club Dalry Rovers, before moving to Ayr United and then onto Celtic.{{cite web|url=https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/19917010.ben-doak-former-dalry-rovers-footballer-makes-debut-celtic/|title=Ben Doak: Former Dalry Rovers footballer makes debut for Celtic|publisher=Adrossan & Saltcoats Herald|date=12 February 2022|accessdate=3 April 2022}}

=Celtic=

On 26 December 2021, having turned 16 the previous month, Doak was named on the bench for Celtic's 3–1 win away to St Johnstone.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59715615|title=St Johnstone 1–3 Celtic|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 December 2021|accessdate=29 January 2022}} On 29 January 2022, he made his Celtic debut, coming on as a 68th minute substitute in a 1–0 Scottish Premiership win against Dundee United.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60093484|title=Celtic 1–0 Dundee United|publisher=BBC Sport|date=29 January 2022|accessdate=29 January 2022}}

=Liverpool=

Doak signed with Premier League club Liverpool in March 2022, with Celtic due to receive training compensation of around £600,000.{{cite web |url=https://talksport.com/football/1076780/liverpool-beat-leeds-signing-of-celtic-teenager-ben-doak-transfer-news/ |title=KOP CAPTURE Liverpool beat Leeds to signing of 16-year-old Celtic starlet Ben Doak for compensation fee of around £600,000 |first=Sam |last=May |publisher=Talksport |date=31 March 2022 |accessdate=3 April 2022}} On 9 November 2022, Doak made his debut for Liverpool when he came on as a 74th minute substitute in a 3–2 penalty shoot-out win against Derby County in the third round of the 2022–23 EFL Cup at Anfield.{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/09/liverpool-derby-county-carabao-cup-match-report|title=Kelleher's shootout saves see Liverpool scrape past Derby in Carabao Cup|date=9 November 2022|work=The Guardian|accessdate=10 November 2022}} Five days later, he signed his first professional contract with Liverpool, having reached the age of 17.{{cite news |title=Liverpool hand Ben Doak his first professional contract - five days after debut aged 16 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63626345| date=14 November 2022|access-date=14 November 2022 |publisher=BBC Sport}}{{cite web |url=https://news.stv.tv/sport/scotland-under-21-star-ben-doak-signs-first-professional-contract-with-liverpool |title=Scotland under-21 star Ben Doak signs first pro deal with Liverpool |first=Peter |last=Cassidy |website=STV Sport |date=14 November 2022 |accessdate=14 November 2022}} Doak made his league debut for Liverpool on 26 December in a 3–1 win at Aston Villa, becoming the youngest Scottish player to appear in the Premier League.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64098845 |title=Stefan Bajcetic: The 'cheeky' teenager and his 'Christmas story' |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 December 2022 |accessdate=27 December 2022 |first=Harry |last=Poole}}

On 30 July 2023, Doak scored his first senior goal for Liverpool in a pre-season friendly match against Leicester City, with his side winning 4–0 at the Singapore National Stadium.{{Cite web |date=31 July 2023 |title='It's a great feeling' – Bobby Clark and Ben Doak react to first senior goals - Liverpool FC |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/its-great-feeling-bobby-clark-and-ben-doak-react-first-senior-goals |access-date=7 August 2023 |publisher=Liverpool F.C. |language=en}} In December 2023, he was longlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award.{{cite web |title=BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2023 top three revealed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/bbc-young-sports-personality-of-the-year-2023-top-3 |publisher=BBC Media Centre |access-date=4 December 2023 |date=1 December 2023}} He missed most of the 2023–24 season after he underwent knee surgery in December.

==Loan to Middlesbrough==

On 30 August 2024, Doak joined EFL Championship side Middlesbrough on a season-long loan.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-30 |title=Middlesbrough sign Ben Doak from Liverpool on season-long loan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy4lwjwmjlvo |access-date=2024-08-30 |publisher=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} On 28 September, he made his first start for the club and scored his first competitive senior career goal in a 2–0 win over Stoke City.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-28 |title=WATCH: Liverpool winger just scored his FIRST EVER club goal |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-liverpool-winger-just-scored-150500326.html |access-date=2024-10-10 |publisher=Yahoo Sports |language=en-GB}}

After registering five assists in as many games in November 2024 he won the EFL Young Player of the Month award.{{Cite web |title=Ben Doak wins EFL Young Player of the Month award - Liverpool FC |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/ben-doak-wins-efl-young-player-month-award?amp=1 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.liverpoolfc.com}}

International career

On 2 September 2021, after previously representing the under-16s, Doak made his debut for Scotland U17, scoring in a 1–1 draw against Wales.{{cite web|url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=238980&lid=13|title=Ben Doak|publisher=Scottish Football Association|access-date=29 January 2022}} He helped the U17 team qualify for the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, but missed the tournament due to injury.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61274162 |title=Ben Doak misses out on Scotland squad for UEFA Under-17 Championship |publisher=BBC Sport|date=29 April 2022 |access-date=29 April 2022}}

Doak was included in the under-21 squad for the first time in September 2022, aged 16.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62837267 |title=Liverpool teenager Ben Doak one of 11 new faces in Scotland Under-21 squad |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 September 2022 |access-date=22 September 2022}} He made his debut as a substitute on 22 September 2022 against Northern Ireland and scored within seven minutes; in doing so, he became the youngest ever goalscorer for the Scotland U21s.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62998460 |title=Under-21 international: Liverpool teenager Ben Doak scores as Scotland beat NI 3–1 in Belfast |publisher=BBC Sport |date=22 September 2022 |access-date=22 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-ben-doak-scotland-goal-25086389 |title='Phenomenal talent' – Liverpool fans rave about Ben Doak as teenager scores on Scotland U21 debut |website=Liverpool Echo |date=22 September 2022 |access-date=22 September 2022}}

In May 2024, Doak was called up to the senior side for the first time, as part of their provisional squad for UEFA Euro 2024.{{cite web |title=Liverpool's Doak gives 'something different' to Scots |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c299l52x6epo |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=22 May 2024 |date=22 May 2024}} On 4 June, he was forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury.{{cite web |title=Conway called up by Scotland as Doak drops out |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cglljld4v0vo |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=5 June 2024 |date=4 June 2024}}

Doak made his senior international debut on 5 September 2024, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 defeat to Poland.{{cite web |last1=English |first1=Tom |title='Scotland's capacity for self-sabotage delivers fresh horror' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3w605pxvewo |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=8 September 2024 |date=5 September 2024}}

Personal life

His grandfather Martin Doak (1964–2024) was also a footballer,{{Cite web |last=Egerton |first=Nathan |date=2022-04-01 |title='Unbelievable talent', All you need to know on Liverpool bound Ben Doak |url=https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/ben-doak-liverpool-target-celtic-everything-you-need-to-know-unbelievable-talent/ |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Planet Football}} having made more than 300 appearances across two spells for Greenock Morton.[https://www.fitbastats.com/morton/player.php?playerid=541 (Morton player) Doak, Martin], FitbaStats. Retrieved 3 January 2023[http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/martindoak.html Martin Doak], Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 3 January 2023{{cite web |last1=Lochrie |first1=Susan |title=Morton legend Martin Doak who is Ben Doak's grandfather dies |url=https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/24529702.morton-legend-martin-doak-ben-doaks-grandfather-dies/ |website=Greenock Telegraph |access-date=8 September 2024 |date=20 August 2024}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup{{efn\|Includes Scottish Cup}} !colspan="2"\|League cup{{efn\|Includes Scottish League Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Europe !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Celtic \|2021–22{{soccerbase season\|148894\|2021\|access-date=12 September 2023}} \|Scottish Premiership \|2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
rowspan="3"\|Liverpool \|2022–23{{soccerbase season\|148894\|2022\|access-date=12 September 2023}} \|Premier League \|2	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
2023–24{{soccerbase season\|148894\|2023\|access-date=12 September 2023}} \|Premier League \|1	0	0	0	1	0	3{{efn\|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}}	0	5	0
colspan="2"\|Total !5	0	2	0	2	0	3	0	12	0
Middlesbrough (loan) \|2024–25 \|Championship \|24	3	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	24	3
colspan="3"\|Career total !29	3	2	0	2	0	3	0	36	3