Strykers Sign “Miracle Man” Jack Downer

Street football icon joins MASL side after defying odds, surviving freak accident

Ontario, Calif. — The Empire Strykers of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) today announced they have signed street football icon Jack Downer to their first team through the 2025-26 season, pending visa approval. The move marks another unlikely chapter in a remarkable story, as Downer, a former top prospect in his native England, three years ago defied the odds by surviving a near-catastrophic soccer injury that required two separate life-saving surgeries.

The latest addition to the Empire roster is a two-time Superball Panna World Champion, the term panna referencing a specific subcategory of street football. In the sport, two players face each other and a winner is determined either by one scoring more goals than the other in a three-minute match or by one managing to touch the ball through their opponent’s legs for an instant “knockout.”

As one of the world’s best street footballers, Jack Downer has built a massive social media following and has collaborated with global soccer superstars as well as some of the biggest clubs on the planet.

“Jack’s journey is truly inspirational,” said the Strykers’ head coach, Onua Obasi. “As someone who dealt with nagging run-of-the-mill injuries during my playing days, I can tell you they have the potential to crush your spirits. Of course, none of my injuries came close to ending my life, nor did any of them derail my career when I was still a kid. Jack’s perseverance through all his trials is a testament to his character, and the skills he brings to indoor soccer could give him a real edge. We can’t wait to see how far those qualities take him.”

A standout at the youth level, Jack Downer was being scouted by Charlton Athletic FC. However, any hopes of joining the Charlton academy evaporated when the storied English club lost interest due to the talented midfielder suffering an ankle injury at age 14. Disillusioned, Downer turned his back on eleven-a-side soccer but soon discovered his love for street football, practicing obsessively and competing while enjoying the subculture’s emphasis on community and inclusivity.

Having moved to London for university as an 18-year-old, the Englishman began gaining in popularity as a social media influencer, the main driver being his participation in a reality TV-type show published on the official Adidas YouTube channel. The show awarded some of the world’s best street footballers spots on eleven-a-side Tango Squad FC, which eventually traveled internationally to play games and train at the facilities of elite teams such as Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich. As part of the experience,Jack Downer shared the field with soccer greats like Kaká, Paul Pogba and David Beckham.

After he took home his first Superball Panna World Championship trophy in 2020, Downer’s roaring success story came to a dramatic halt the following year. Playing in a charity soccer match on a full outdoor field, Downer was accidentally kneed in the stomach by the opposition goalkeeper, causing a laceration to his liver whose severity would later prompt his surgeons to tell him his survival had been a miracle. Months down the road, unexpected complications then required a second intervention to save Downer’s life again.

In between his first and second surgeries, the street footballer’s fame had entered another realm, as he had collaborated with even more global icons — including Brazil’s Neymar Jr. and France’s Kylian Mbappé — as well as powerhouse clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris St. Germain, Barcelona FC and the LA Galaxy.

Despite his brush with death, and after a long and grueling recovery process, Jack Downer managed to win the Superball Panna World Championship for a second time in 2022. The following year, the man who has been key in popularizing street football across Europe started training extensively for the three-aside version, which does not allow for instant victory by “nutmegging” an opposition player.

Downer went on to win two major three-aside tournaments earlier this year — one in Europe and one in Japan. In November, he would captain England’s team in the first ever 3v3 World Cup put on by the International Street Football Association (ISFA), of which the Strykers’ newest member is a co-founder.

While playing in Japan, a couple of the American participants suggested Jack Downer look into playing in the MASL. Little did they know at the time their fellow competitor would receive an Instagram direct message the very next day from an Empire Strykers staff member, who was informing the 26-year-old the club was aware of his accomplishments and willing to give him an opportunity.

None of those putting the MASL and the Strykers front and center for Jack Downer likely had any idea they were fanning a flame that had had been ignited by none other than actor Matthew McConaughey. Because McConaughey’s son is a fan of Downer’s YouTube channel, the minority owner of MLS side Austin FC had previously hosted the channel’s star in Texas and encouraged him to reconnect with his childhood dream of going professional.

Given midfielder Downer played for Hashtag United FC in the 2023 edition of The Soccer Tournament, a high-profile 7v7 competition boasting a million-dollar prize pot and many of North America’s best indoor players, the step into the MASL does not seem altogether far-fetched.

“I love the challenge of six-a-side, having gone from winning by myself to winning in a team of three,” said the panna ace. “Beyond that, this club seems like the right place for me. The serendipity in what got me here almost makes it feel like fate, but most importantly the Strykers are all about empowering and connecting people of all different backgrounds. Street football shares those values. Finally, I saw Coach Obasi and the players that were being signed, and I understood the vision (managing partner) Jeff (Burum) has for the product on the field as well. I want to help in any way I can.”

Downer continued, “I coach pros with my panna skills, so I know they can be effective when used by team players. That makes this exciting not just for me but for the entire street football community. I’m grateful to the front office for taking a chance on me. It will no doubt take a lot of work for me to get really good at this. For now, my goal is to make the game day squad. We have a lot of great players, so that won’t be easy. If it takes me until next season to really internalize the tactics, I’m okay with that. I’m thinking long-term, and I believe I can add a valuable angle most haven’t seen.”

The Empire Strykers take on the visiting Tacoma Stars on Thursday, December 19, at 6:35 PM PST. Season tickets and single-game tickets are available at www.TheEmpireStrykers.com.

Established in 2013, the Empire Strykers are the Inland Empire’s only professional soccer team and one of the flagship franchises of the 12-member Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). Committed to excellence on and off the turf, the Strykers have set a benchmark via a range of community initiatives and youth soccer partnerships. The team plays its home games at Toyota Arena in Ontario and aims to best its U.S. and Mexican competition en route to hoisting the 2024-25 Ron Newman Cup trophy. More information on the Empire Strykers may be found at www.TheEmpireStrykers.com.