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| Ljungberg, Kanu and Henry |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
Arsenal All-Time Team
Arsenal All-Time Team Under Arsene Wenger
This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for Arsenal's foreign players. The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.
Arsenal was the first club from the South of England to join The Football League, in 1893. They entered the First Division in 1904, and have since accumulated the second most points. Relegated only once, in 1913, they continue the longest streak in the top division. In the 1930s, Arsenal won five League Championships and two FA Cups, and another FA Cup and two Championships after the war. In 1970–71, they won their first League and FA Cup Double. Between 1989 and 2005, they won five League titles and five FA Cups, including two more Doubles. They completed the 20th century with the highest average league position.
GK: Gerrit Keizer (Netherlands)
Keizer joined Ajax Amsterdam at the age of 16. Then, he went to play in England. Keizer at first played as an amateur for Kent side Margate. He made Arsenal's debut against Blackpool on August 30, 1930. He went on to play in Arsenal's first twelve First Division matches of the 1930-31 season. With the Gunners, Keizer went on to win the First Division title of 1930-31. As well this victory was Arsenal's first ever league title.
GK: Petr Cech (Czech Republic)
Petr Cech is best remembered for being Chelsea's undisputred starting keeper from 2004 to 2014. He won almost everything in club football, including the Champions'League in 2012. He is considered among the greatest of his era. He also played for Sparta Prague, Rennes and Arsenal. For Czech Republic, he is the most capped player in the history of the Czech team, with 124 caps.
RB: Lauren Etame Mayer (Cameroon)
Lauren Etame Mayer was a part of Arsenal's "Invincibles", a title given to Arsenal's team that went undefeated team in the Premiership. He was named PFA Team of the Year that season. He also played for , San Fernando, Sevilla, Levante, Mallorca and Portsmouth at the club level. He won two African Cup of Nations. He also won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics with Cameroon.
RB: Bacary Sagna (France)
Barcary Sagna his career at Auxerre, before transferring to Arsenal for £7 million in 2007. In 2014, shortly after winning the FA Cup, his first trophy at the club, he made a move to Manchester City. He was named on the PFA Team of the Year twice while playing for Arsenal. From 2014 to 2017, Sagna played for Manchester City. He also spent time in the MLS. He played for France at World Cup Finals in 2010 and 2014, and the European Championship in 2016.
He is Yaya Toure's brother. He was a member of Arsenal's undefeated team in 2003-2004. He later joined Manchester City andLiverpool. Touré is the second-most capped player for the Ivory Coast, with 118 appearances from 2000 to 2015. He represented the team at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cup Finals. Touré also represented the Ivory Coast at seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 2002 and 2015, helping them finish runner-up in 2006 and 2012, while winning in 2015.
CM: Patrick Vieira (France)
Patrick Vieira was an all-time great with Arsenal. He won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. In England. he was famous for his rivalry with Roy Keane. He spent a season at Juventus, helping the team to the Serie A championship. Following Juventus' relegation for their part in a match-fixing scandal, Vieira played for Inter Milan and then, Manchester City for two seasons. With "Les Bleus", he won the WC in 1998 and European Championship in 2000. He earned 107 caps.
RW/LW: Robert Pires (France)
Robert Pires played for Metz, Marseilles, Villarreal and Aston Villa, but was better remembered as a part of the "French Connection" at Arsenal. With Arsenal, he won three FA Cups and two Premier League titles including the club's unbeaten season of 2003–04. He played there from 2000 to 2006. For France, he was a part of the generation that won the World Cup in 1998 and European Championship in 2000. He was capped 79 times.
RW/LW: Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden)
Fredrik Ljungberg began his career at Halmstads BK and went on to spend most of his career at Arsenal, where he won honours including two Premier League titles and three FA Cups, scoring in two finals including the victory in 2002. He also had short spells at a number of clubs in England, Scotland, the United States and Japan. Ljungberg earned 75 caps and was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.
LW/RW: Marc Overmars (Netherlands)
Known for his speed, Marc Overmars was a member of the youthful Ajax team that won the European cup in 1995. He moved to Arsenal in 1997, where he starred playing under Arsene Wenger. He won the Double in 1997-1998. He later moved to Barcelona and Go Ahead Eagles. His career with Oranja lasted from 1993 to 2004, and was an important player. He won the Best Young Player Award at the 1994 World Cup in the USA.
SS/LW/RW: Sylvain Wiltord (France)
Wiltord started with Rennes and Bordeaux before moving to Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and two FA Cups. He also won the Ligue 1 title in each of his 3 subsequent seasons at Lyon. For France, he was capped 92 times, scoring 26 goals. He scored in the last seconds of the Euro 2000 final that brought the game to extra-time. France then won the final from a golden goal. He is the most capped French player who was not on the 1998 World Cup team.
Arsenal All-Time Team
Arsenal All-Time Team Under Arsene Wenger
Arsenal All-Time Team for English Players
Arsenal All-Time Team from the British Isles(Excluding England)
Arsenal All-Time Team from the British Isles(Excluding England)
This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for Arsenal's foreign players. The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.
Arsenal was the first club from the South of England to join The Football League, in 1893. They entered the First Division in 1904, and have since accumulated the second most points. Relegated only once, in 1913, they continue the longest streak in the top division. In the 1930s, Arsenal won five League Championships and two FA Cups, and another FA Cup and two Championships after the war. In 1970–71, they won their first League and FA Cup Double. Between 1989 and 2005, they won five League titles and five FA Cups, including two more Doubles. They completed the 20th century with the highest average league position.
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| Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires |
Team
GK: Jens Lehmann (Germany)
Jens Lehmann was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and was selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning season. He also holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most consecutive clean sheets, having not conceded a goal in 10 matches whilst at Arsenal. He started for Germany at the 2006 World Cup Finals.
GK: Jens Lehmann (Germany)
Jens Lehmann was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and was selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning season. He also holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most consecutive clean sheets, having not conceded a goal in 10 matches whilst at Arsenal. He started for Germany at the 2006 World Cup Finals.
GK: Gerrit Keizer (Netherlands)
Keizer joined Ajax Amsterdam at the age of 16. Then, he went to play in England. Keizer at first played as an amateur for Kent side Margate. He made Arsenal's debut against Blackpool on August 30, 1930. He went on to play in Arsenal's first twelve First Division matches of the 1930-31 season. With the Gunners, Keizer went on to win the First Division title of 1930-31. As well this victory was Arsenal's first ever league title.
GK: Petr Cech (Czech Republic)
Petr Cech is best remembered for being Chelsea's undisputred starting keeper from 2004 to 2014. He won almost everything in club football, including the Champions'League in 2012. He is considered among the greatest of his era. He also played for Sparta Prague, Rennes and Arsenal. For Czech Republic, he is the most capped player in the history of the Czech team, with 124 caps.
RB: Lauren Etame Mayer (Cameroon)
Lauren Etame Mayer was a part of Arsenal's "Invincibles", a title given to Arsenal's team that went undefeated team in the Premiership. He was named PFA Team of the Year that season. He also played for , San Fernando, Sevilla, Levante, Mallorca and Portsmouth at the club level. He won two African Cup of Nations. He also won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics with Cameroon.
RB: Bacary Sagna (France)
Barcary Sagna his career at Auxerre, before transferring to Arsenal for £7 million in 2007. In 2014, shortly after winning the FA Cup, his first trophy at the club, he made a move to Manchester City. He was named on the PFA Team of the Year twice while playing for Arsenal. From 2014 to 2017, Sagna played for Manchester City. He also spent time in the MLS. He played for France at World Cup Finals in 2010 and 2014, and the European Championship in 2016.
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| Bacary Sagna |
CB: Per Mertesacker (Germany)
At 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in), Mertesacker is known for his height. From 2003 to 2006, he played for Hanover 96. From 2006 to 2011, he played for Werder Bremen. Then, he played from 2011 to 2018 for Arsenal. Mertesacker established himself as Germany's first choice centre-back for ten years, participating in European Championship in 2008 and 2012, as well as the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, winning the latter. He earned 104 caps.
CB: Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast)
CB: Thomas Vermaelen (Belgium)
Vermaelen played with Ajax winning the KNVB Cup and Johan Cruyff Shield. He joined Arsenal in 2009 and was included in the PFA Team of the Year for that season. Following Robin van Persie's transfer to Manchester United in August 2012, he was named club captain. He later played for Barcelona. Vermaelen made his international debut for Belgium in 2006. He took part at the World Cup in 2014 and 2018 and European Championship in 2016 and 2021.
CB: Laurent Koscielny (France)
Laurent Koscielny started his career in the lower division in France before moving to Lorient in 2009. He moved to Arsenal in 2010. Less than a season later, he was called up to the French national team. He stayed in Arsenal under 2019. He had also considered playing for Poland. In total, he was capped 51 times between 2011 and 2016. For France, he played in the European Championship in 2012 and 2016, and the World Cup Finals in 2014.
Laurent Koscielny started his career in the lower division in France before moving to Lorient in 2009. He moved to Arsenal in 2010. Less than a season later, he was called up to the French national team. He stayed in Arsenal under 2019. He had also considered playing for Poland. In total, he was capped 51 times between 2011 and 2016. For France, he played in the European Championship in 2012 and 2016, and the World Cup Finals in 2014.
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| Laurent Koscielny |
LB: Gael Clichy (France)
From 2002 to 2003, Gael Clichy played for Cannes at home. Then, he played for Arsenal from 2003 to 2011. From 2011 to 2017, he played for Manchester City. He also played in Turkey and Switzerland. For France, Clichy earned 22 caps from 2008 and 2014. He went to two major tournaments: the World Cup Finals in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012. He played the last match at the World Cup Finals in 2010 after a strike by some of the senior players.
From 2002 to 2003, Gael Clichy played for Cannes at home. Then, he played for Arsenal from 2003 to 2011. From 2011 to 2017, he played for Manchester City. He also played in Turkey and Switzerland. For France, Clichy earned 22 caps from 2008 and 2014. He went to two major tournaments: the World Cup Finals in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012. He played the last match at the World Cup Finals in 2010 after a strike by some of the senior players.
DM: Gilberto Silva (Brazil)
Gilberto Silva started his career with Atlético Mineiro. He was best remembered for his 6 seasons with Arsenal, where he joined after the 2002 World Cup Finals. He played 93 times for Brazil. He was a key player at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan/Korea after Emerson was injured before the tournament. He also went to the World Cup Finals in 2006 and 2010. He captained the national team at the 2007 Copa America, where Brazil won its 8th title.
Gilberto Silva started his career with Atlético Mineiro. He was best remembered for his 6 seasons with Arsenal, where he joined after the 2002 World Cup Finals. He played 93 times for Brazil. He was a key player at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan/Korea after Emerson was injured before the tournament. He also went to the World Cup Finals in 2006 and 2010. He captained the national team at the 2007 Copa America, where Brazil won its 8th title.
CM: Emmanuel Petit (France)
Petit began his career at minor club ES Arques-la-Bataille before being signed by Arsène Wenger's Monaco side at the age of 18. From 1997 to 2000, he again played for Wenger with Arsenal, establishing the French Connection at the club. For France, he was a part of the Golden Generation that won the World Cup in 1998, followed by winning the European Championship in 2000. He scored one of the goals in the World Cup Final against Brazil in 1998.
Patrick Vieira was an all-time great with Arsenal. He won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. In England. he was famous for his rivalry with Roy Keane. He spent a season at Juventus, helping the team to the Serie A championship. Following Juventus' relegation for their part in a match-fixing scandal, Vieira played for Inter Milan and then, Manchester City for two seasons. With "Les Bleus", he won the WC in 1998 and European Championship in 2000. He earned 107 caps.
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| Patrick Vieira vs Keane |
Robert Pires played for Metz, Marseilles, Villarreal and Aston Villa, but was better remembered as a part of the "French Connection" at Arsenal. With Arsenal, he won three FA Cups and two Premier League titles including the club's unbeaten season of 2003–04. He played there from 2000 to 2006. For France, he was a part of the generation that won the World Cup in 1998 and European Championship in 2000. He was capped 79 times.
RW/LW: Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden)
Fredrik Ljungberg began his career at Halmstads BK and went on to spend most of his career at Arsenal, where he won honours including two Premier League titles and three FA Cups, scoring in two finals including the victory in 2002. He also had short spells at a number of clubs in England, Scotland, the United States and Japan. Ljungberg earned 75 caps and was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.
LW/RW: Marc Overmars (Netherlands)
Known for his speed, Marc Overmars was a member of the youthful Ajax team that won the European cup in 1995. He moved to Arsenal in 1997, where he starred playing under Arsene Wenger. He won the Double in 1997-1998. He later moved to Barcelona and Go Ahead Eagles. His career with Oranja lasted from 1993 to 2004, and was an important player. He won the Best Young Player Award at the 1994 World Cup in the USA.
SS/LW/RW: Sylvain Wiltord (France)
Wiltord started with Rennes and Bordeaux before moving to Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and two FA Cups. He also won the Ligue 1 title in each of his 3 subsequent seasons at Lyon. For France, he was capped 92 times, scoring 26 goals. He scored in the last seconds of the Euro 2000 final that brought the game to extra-time. France then won the final from a golden goal. He is the most capped French player who was not on the 1998 World Cup team.
AM/CM/LM: Santi Cazorla (Spain)
Santi started with Villarreal, where he had two spells with 7 seasons in total. He also played for Recreativo de Huelva and Malaga. Between 2012 and 2018, he played for Arsenal. He was Spanish Player of the Year in the 2006–07 season. He played 81 times for Spain. He was a semi-regular participant in the nation's triumphs at UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, as well as featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He did not participate in the 2010 World Cup due to an injury.
AM: Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic)
Tomas Rosicky was the star playmaker for the Czech Republic throughout the 2000's. He earned 105 caps between 2000 and 2006. He has taken part in four UEFA European Championships as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was Czech Footballer of the Year in 2001, 2002 and 2006. He started his career with Sparta Prague, and he had notable stints with Borussia Dortmund between 2001 and 2006 and Arsenal between 2006 and 2016. He returend to Sparta Prague in 2016.
AM/SS: Cesc Fabregas (Spain)
Cesc was lured to play for Arsenal's academy in 2003 from Barcelona FC. He made his first time debut as a teenager. he helped Arsenal to reach the Champions' league Final in 2005. He returned to Spain in 2011 with Barcelona, but returned to England in 2014, joining Chelsea. He also played for Monaco. He was a part of Spain that won the World Cup in 2010 and two European Championships. Between 2006 and 2016, he played 110 times for Spain.
FW: Theirry Henry (France)
Thierry Henry is the all-time leading scorer for both Arsenal and France. He was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and the FWA Footballer of the Year three times. He started with AS Monaco in 1994. The, he spent 8 seasons with Arsenal, where he enjoyed the peak of his career. He also played for Juventus, Barcelona and NY Red Bulls. He earned 123 caps and was a part of France's Golden Team form 1998 to 2002. He won the World Cup in 1998 and Euro 2000.
Kanu was voted as Nigeria's greatest player. He captained Nigeria's Gold Medal team at Atlanta 1996. He was African Player of the Year in 1996 and 1999. He was a member of Ajax that won the 1995 Champions' League and considered one of the greatest club sides in history. Because of a heart condition, his career in Italy was interrupted and joined Arsenal in 1999, where he enjoyed 6 great seasons.
FW: Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)
Dennis Bergkamp was the best-known Dutch player of the mid-1990's. He had 92 caps for the Netherlands. He helped Netherlands to reach the semi-final of the 1998 World Cup Finals in France. His goal vs Argentina at was considered among the best ever scored in World Cup history. He also played in the World Cup Finals of 1994 and three European Championship. He started with Ajax and played for Inter Milan. He also had a very successful career with Arsenal, winning 7 major titles.
Squad Explanation
-- This team was updated on August, 2024.
Santi started with Villarreal, where he had two spells with 7 seasons in total. He also played for Recreativo de Huelva and Malaga. Between 2012 and 2018, he played for Arsenal. He was Spanish Player of the Year in the 2006–07 season. He played 81 times for Spain. He was a semi-regular participant in the nation's triumphs at UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, as well as featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He did not participate in the 2010 World Cup due to an injury.
AM: Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic)
Tomas Rosicky was the star playmaker for the Czech Republic throughout the 2000's. He earned 105 caps between 2000 and 2006. He has taken part in four UEFA European Championships as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was Czech Footballer of the Year in 2001, 2002 and 2006. He started his career with Sparta Prague, and he had notable stints with Borussia Dortmund between 2001 and 2006 and Arsenal between 2006 and 2016. He returend to Sparta Prague in 2016.
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| Tomas Rosicky |
Cesc was lured to play for Arsenal's academy in 2003 from Barcelona FC. He made his first time debut as a teenager. he helped Arsenal to reach the Champions' league Final in 2005. He returned to Spain in 2011 with Barcelona, but returned to England in 2014, joining Chelsea. He also played for Monaco. He was a part of Spain that won the World Cup in 2010 and two European Championships. Between 2006 and 2016, he played 110 times for Spain.
Thierry Henry is the all-time leading scorer for both Arsenal and France. He was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and the FWA Footballer of the Year three times. He started with AS Monaco in 1994. The, he spent 8 seasons with Arsenal, where he enjoyed the peak of his career. He also played for Juventus, Barcelona and NY Red Bulls. He earned 123 caps and was a part of France's Golden Team form 1998 to 2002. He won the World Cup in 1998 and Euro 2000.
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| Theirry Henry |
FW/RW: Alexis Sanchez (Chile)
After playing with Cobreloa, Sánchez was signed by Italy's Udinese in 2006. In 2011, he was signed by Barcelona for £25 million, becoming the most expensive transfer in Chilean football history. In 2014, he moved rot Arsenal. At the time of writing, he earned 108 caps. He has played in the World Cup Finals of 2010 and 2014. He helped Chile to win the 2015 Copa America. A year later, he led Chile to win Copa América Centenario in the US.
After playing with Cobreloa, Sánchez was signed by Italy's Udinese in 2006. In 2011, he was signed by Barcelona for £25 million, becoming the most expensive transfer in Chilean football history. In 2014, he moved rot Arsenal. At the time of writing, he earned 108 caps. He has played in the World Cup Finals of 2010 and 2014. He helped Chile to win the 2015 Copa America. A year later, he led Chile to win Copa América Centenario in the US.
FW: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
FW: Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)
Dennis Bergkamp was the best-known Dutch player of the mid-1990's. He had 92 caps for the Netherlands. He helped Netherlands to reach the semi-final of the 1998 World Cup Finals in France. His goal vs Argentina at was considered among the best ever scored in World Cup history. He also played in the World Cup Finals of 1994 and three European Championship. He started with Ajax and played for Inter Milan. He also had a very successful career with Arsenal, winning 7 major titles.
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| Dennis Bergkamp |
ST: Robin Van Persie (Netherlands)
Robin Van Persie played for Feyenoord between 2001 and 2004 but was known for his career playing in England. He spent 8 seasons with Arsenal, winning both PFA and FWA Player of the Year in 2011-2012. Immediately after winning the two awards, he made a controversial transfer to rival Manchester United. He also played for Fenerbahçe at the end of his career. At the time of writing, he has earned 102 caps, helping Netherlands to finish second in South Africa 2010.
Robin Van Persie played for Feyenoord between 2001 and 2004 but was known for his career playing in England. He spent 8 seasons with Arsenal, winning both PFA and FWA Player of the Year in 2011-2012. Immediately after winning the two awards, he made a controversial transfer to rival Manchester United. He also played for Fenerbahçe at the end of his career. At the time of writing, he has earned 102 caps, helping Netherlands to finish second in South Africa 2010.
Honorable Mention
Wojciech Szczesny (Poland), Bernd Leno (Germany), Manuel Almunia (Spain), William Gallas (France), Pascal Cygan (France), Nacho Monreal (Spain), Emmanuel Eboué (Ivory Coast), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Netherlands), Edu (Brazil), Stefan Schwarz (Sweden), John Jensen (Denmark), Mesut Özil (Germany), Martin Ødegaard (Norway), Samir Nasri (France), Mikel Arteta (Spain), Andrey Arshavin (Russia), Mathieu Flamini (France), Vladimir Petrović (Yugoslavia), Albert Guðmundsson (Iceland), Gabriel Martinelli (Brazil), Anders Limpar (Sweden), Nicholas Anelka (France), Olivier Giroud (France), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon).
-- This team was updated on August, 2024.
-- All players from the Republic of Ireland are listed with my blog Arsenal All-Time Team for British Isles players (except England).
-- Five foreign players made my Arsenal All-Time Team. They are Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands), Thierry Henry (France), Patrick Vieria (France), Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden) and Robert Pires (France). So, I needed to find 20 foreigners not on my Arsenal All-Time team for this team.
-- Petr Cech only spent four seasons here, but he lost his number one spot to Bernd Leno in his last season. However, he had a good career here overall. He won one of his four Golden Glove awards in the 2015-2016 season while playing for the Gunners.
-- Kolo Toure was a linchpin in the Gunners' backline during Arsenal's "Invincibles" season. He also scored the winning goal in Arsenal's Champions League semi-final first-leg victory against Villarreal. Per Mertesacker would later captain Arsenal. His performance in the 2017 FA Cup final against Chelsea stood out. Laurent Koscielny spent 9 seasons over here. He was named in the Europa League Team of the Season. Thomas Vermaelen was named the Best Belgian Player Abroad 2009 while he was playing for Arsenal and was named on the PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2009–10.
-- Nwankwo Kanu was a beloved figure here, renowned for his extraordinary goals that captured the hearts of fans.
-- Five foreign players made my Arsenal All-Time Team. They are Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands), Thierry Henry (France), Patrick Vieria (France), Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden) and Robert Pires (France). So, I needed to find 20 foreigners not on my Arsenal All-Time team for this team.
-- Arsenal's most successful period was under manager Arsene Wenger. His teams were heavily relied on players from outside the United Kingdom, especially French players. Wenger had a successful career with AS Monaco between 1987 and 1994. Emmanuel Petit also played for Wenger with AS Monaco. He is the only player who played for both clubs under Wenger. Thierry Henry did not play for him in the senior side. He came from their youth academy under Wenger's guidance. Henry joined Wenger's Arsenal in 1999. In fact, I created a blog team for Arsenal All-Time Team Under Arsene Wenger.
-- On February 14, 2005, Arsenal become the first English club to field an all-foreign squad against Crystal Palace. Arsenal featured players from France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Brazil, and Switzerland, but not a single one from the United Kingdom. They won 5-1 that day.
-- On February 14, 2005, Arsenal become the first English club to field an all-foreign squad against Crystal Palace. Arsenal featured players from France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Brazil, and Switzerland, but not a single one from the United Kingdom. They won 5-1 that day.
-- Arsenal compiled an official ranking of their 50 Greatest Ever Players. Leading the top 10 were 1) Thierry Henry, 2) Denis Bergkamp, 3) Tony Adams, 4) Ian Wright, 5) Patrick Vieira, 6) Robert Pires, 7) David Seaman, 8) Liam Brady, 9) Charlie George, and 10) Pat Jennings. Four of them were foreigner. Meanwhile, in 2022, FourFourTwo also curated a list of Arsenal's 50 greatest players, featuring 1) Thierry Henry, 2) Denis Bergkamp, 3) Tony Adams, 4) Patrick Vieira, 5) Ian Wright, 6) Robert Pires, 7) Liam Brady, 8) David Seaman, 9) Charlie George, and 10) Cliff Bastin. I used both lists for reference. However, in 2016, the magazine also ranked the 11 greatest players for Arsenal. The list was different: 1) David Seaman, 2) Tony Adams, 3) Liam Brady, 4) Patrick Vieria, 5) Alan Smith, 6) Thierry Henry, 7) Denis Bergkamp, 8) Alex James, 9) Frank McLintock, 10) Ashley Cole and 11) Cliff Bastin. This list was not in a formation since only two defenders were selected.
-- Except for Gerrit Keizer, all players played under Arsene Wenger. Dennis Bergkamp was not signed by him, but he was a key player under Wenger.
-- Vladimir Petrović, Albert Guðmundsson, John Jensen and Stefan Schwarz made honorable mention. They did not play for Wenger.
-- Before the UEFA ended foreign restrictions in 1996, not many foreign players played for Arsenal. Daniel Le Roux (South Africa), John Kosmina (Australia), Vladimir Petrović (Yugoslavia) and Albert Guðmundsson (Iceland) were early foreign players for the club. Gerrit Keizer was the first foreign born player ever to play for the club. I selected him because it was a milestone for the club. Albert Guðmundsson (Iceland) was the second foreigner ever to have played for the club. Vladimir Petrović (Yugoslavia) who joined Arsenal in 1982 was known as the club's first big time signing from overseas. His career was very limited in London.
Goalkeepers
-- Many people listed Jens Lehmann of "Invincibles" in the 2003-2004 season as one of the top three goalkeepers ever donned Arsenal jersey. He also had a wonderful campaign that Arsenal reached the Champions' League Final for the first time.
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| Jens Lehmann |
-- Wojciech Szczesny did share a Golden Glove award with Cech who was playing in Chelsea at the time. Both Bernd Leno and Manuel Almunia also had a solid career, but did not stand out. However, both did not stand out as the third best foreign goalkeeper. So, I awarded the spot to Gerrit Keizer who had the honor of being the first ever foreign player playing for the team.
Defenders
-- I did not select a single foreign defender for my Arsenal All-Time team, but Kolo Toure, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna and Lauren were almost undisputed selections on this team.
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| Kolo Toure |
-- William Gallas transferred from Arsenal to Tottenham Hotspurs in 2010, making him the first player in history to have played for Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspurs. However, I decided not to select him because of his move to Tottenham. William Saliba is still a long way to go to be considered.
-- Lauren could play on both sides of the fullback position. He was a part of "Invincibles" in the 2003-2004 season. While in Arsenal, Bacary Sagna was named on the PFA Team of the Year. I put Emmanuel Eboué on honorable mentions.
-- Giovanni van Bronckhorst had a brief spell here, leading me to opt for Gael Clichy, who enjoyed a more extended tenure. He was also named once on the PFA Team of the Year. Moreover, as van Bronckhorst mainly played as a midfielder, using him as a left-back would have been inadaptable. I did not select an extra leftback because both Lauren and Thomas Vermaelen could also play as a leftback.
Midfielders/Wingers
-- Patrick Vieira requires no introduction. Arriving at Arsenal in the same year as Wenger, Patrick Vieira and the manager collaborated to elevate Arsenal into one of the most formidable clubs in Europe. He was one of Arsenal's greatest ever players.
-- Arsenal did not give Gilberto Silva a spot on their official ranking of 50 Greatest Footballer, a decision I find surprising considering I rate him higher than Emmanuel Petit. Although Petit made significant contributions to the club, notably as Patrick Vieira's midfield partner, his tenure at Arsenal spanned only three seasons. Nonetheless, Petit was named as the 22nd greatest ever player for Arsenal. The FourfourTwo ranked Giberto Silva as the 20th greatest player from Arsenal while Petit was at 24th.
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| Emmanuel Petit |
-- Cesc Fàbregas was named on the PFA Team of the Year in the 2007–08 and the 2009–10 season. He also made the ESM Team of the Year in the 2007–08 and the 2009–10 season. He was also one of Arsenal's best players as they reached the Final of the Champions' League. Samir Nasri played his best season in the 2010-2011 season, and his departure from Arsenal to Manchester City the following summer was marred by controversy, leading to a significant rift with the Arsenal supporters. Given this history, I would not consider selecting him. Mesut Özil started his career in London very well, but over time, his performance declined, and he faced criticism for his inconsistency. Moreover, his position evolved during his time in Arsenal. The game required increased versatility and defensive contributions from players in his position. He was often highlighted as the prime example of a traditional midfielder struggling in the modern game. While this portrayal was somewhat unfair considering his overall career being good, there was indeed some truth to the narrative. So, I took Tomáš Rosický and Santi Cazorla as my two backup attack midfielders. It is still early to select Martin Ødegaard while Mikel Arteta (Spain) usually played in a deeper role in Arsenal.
-- First, I took Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg. They were often listed among the top 20 ever players for Arsenal. In the 2001-2002 season, Pires was voted both FWA Footballer of the Year and Arsenal's player of the season, as Arsenal won the league and FA Cup title. Ljungberg was ranked the 11th greatest players in Arsenal by the club while FourFourTwo put him at 12th. Marco Overmars played around the same time as Pires and Ljungberg, but he left after 3 seasons. His legacy here was overshadowed by the pair.
-- Anders Limpar's career was limited by his injuries. He was the first foreign player to have a starring role with the club. I gave him credit for that. However, he had a fallout with manager George Graham at the end of his stay, making his overall career here imperfect. The wide position is also loaded on this team. I also had Sylvain Wiltord and Alexis Sanchez (see below) on the team. Wiltord was ranked as 33rd greatest ever Arsenal player. Gabriel Martinelli also deserved an honorable mention.
Forwards
-- Arsenal has officially declared Thierry Henry as their greatest ever player, with Dennis Bergkamp securing the second spot. Henry holds the record for being named FWA Footballer of the Year three times, PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and he made it to the PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive seasons. In 1998, Dennis Bergkamp received the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, making him just the third non-British player to be acknowledged by his peers as the standout performer in English football. He was also named FWA Player of the Year.
-- Robin van Persie scored over 130 goals for Arsenal during his time at the club. He was honored with prestigious accolades such as the PFA Players' Player of the Year, the PFA Fans' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year award for the t2011-12 season. His transfer to Manchester United did tarnish his legacy here, but I overlooked that.
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| Robin Van Persie |
-- Nicolas Anelka played for Arsenal from 1997 to 1999. His career here was too short. Olivier Giroud had played here much longer, despite his reputation was not as good as Anelka's career here. Both only made honorable mention.
-- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the top scorer in the 2018-2019 Preimership, but his career was short.
-- Alexis Sanchez made the PFA Team of the Year: 2014–15. His controversial move to Manchester United might have damaged his reputation with the fans, but I still selected him into this team. Robin Van Persie also moved to Manchester United. Again, I also overlooked that.
-- Alexis Sanchez made the PFA Team of the Year: 2014–15. His controversial move to Manchester United might have damaged his reputation with the fans, but I still selected him into this team. Robin Van Persie also moved to Manchester United. Again, I also overlooked that.
Formation
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