Although they have not clinched a Premier League title in over 20 years, Arsenal stay one of many greatest and most dominant sides within the historical past of English soccer.
With a minimum of 49 main honors to their title, the Gunners are the third most profitable staff within the nation’s historical past, with solely Manchester United and Liverpool having collected extra silverware.
From their all-conquering aspect of the Nineteen Thirties proper by means of to Arsène Wenger’s well-known “Invincibles” of 2003-04, Arsenal have had some really excellent gamers on their books over time who’ve helped hearth them to glory––whether or not that be excellent shot-stoppers, flying full-backs, midfield maestros, or luxurious strikers.
These 25 are one of the best of the bunch.
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Lee Dixon’s Arsenal legacy could be ceaselessly remembered for probably the most comical personal targets in soccer historical past, when he lobbed his personal keeper from a minimum of 30 yards out.
Scratch that mishap from his document, nonetheless, and what you are left with is a formidable resume that features 619 appearances––the fourth most in Arsenal historical past––4 league titles, and three FA Cups.
Clever, fast, and, apart from lobbing David Seaman, not vulnerable to errors, few wingers discovered their well past Dixon in his prime.
Earlier than Arsenal had Declan, that they had Pat Rice––who revamped 500 appearances for the Gunners between 1964 and 1980, serving to them clinch a well-known league and FA Cup double in 1971, in addition to one other FA Cup in 1979 as membership captain.
A tireless employee and no-nonsense proper again, Rice later went on to function Arsène Wenger’s assistant supervisor, serving to information the membership to much more main honors, together with two extra league and cup doubles, earlier than stepping down from the position in 2012, ending a cumulative 44-year affiliation with the membership.
His namesake hopes to in the future replicate these achievements.
Heading into the ultimate day of the 1988-99 season, Arsenal wanted to beat Liverpool by two targets to overhaul their opponents and clinch the First Division title for the primary time since 1971.
Main 1-0 in further time, Arsenal’s probabilities of glory had been quickly dwindling. Enter Michael Thomas.
Latching onto Alan Smith’s lofted by means of ball, the English midfielder bulldozed his well past two Liverpool defenders earlier than poking the ball into the again of the online to not solely clinch the title for the Gunners but in addition deny Liverpool a second-ever title, ceaselessly etching his title into the membership’s historical past books.
Few gamers in soccer historical past have ever been in comparison with the legendary Pelé, however Ray Parlour was certainly one of them.
Nicknamed the “Romford Pelé” due to his Essex roots and stylish, skillful enjoying type, Parlour was a dynamic power in the midst of the park. He might skip previous gamers with ease, thread tidy passes, and discover the again of the online, simply as Pelé did.
Although even he would admit he wasn’t fairly on the stage of the Brazilian icon, Parlour was nonetheless an important determine for an Arsenal aspect that dominated English soccer within the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s.
Nwankwo Kanu might not have been an everyday starter throughout his six seasons at Arsenal, however the significance of his contributions ought to by no means be underestimated.
Clever and unpredictable, the Nigerian striker at all times delivered when the Gunners referred to as upon him, typically scoring essential targets, together with a memorable Premier League hat-trick towards Chelsea in 1999 that turned a 2–0 deficit right into a 3–2 victory.
A part of Arsenal’s historic “Invincibles” squad that received the Premier League title with out dropping a recreation within the 2003-04 season, Kanu completed his Gunners profession with 44 targets and 35 assists in 197 appearances.
Followers will possible finest know Martin Keown for being the person who got here to blows with Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy after the Dutchman missed a penalty towards Arsenal in 2003, in a fiery match now often called “The Battle of Previous Trafford.”
Whereas Keown was, in fact, far more than simply that notorious second––it did, in some ways, epitomize his Arsenal profession.
Although not at all times essentially the most elegant participant—and infrequently embroiled in controversy—Keown was a relentless warrior who would cease at nothing to make sure Arsenal got here out on high. As a rule, with him within the aspect, they did.
If this checklist had been based mostly purely on soccer means, Cesc Fàbregas could be a lot, a lot increased.
A product of FC Barcelona’s prestigious La Masia academy, Fàbregas was probably the most gifted central midfielders of his era. A artistic mastermind, Fàbregas completed the 2007-08 Premier League season with 17 assists—whereas in 2009-10, he racked up 15 targets and 15 assists in simply 27 appearances.
Sadly for Arsenal, Barcelona, realizing it was fallacious to ever let him go, got here calling in 2011 with a proposal too engaging for Fàbregas to show down, stripping the Gunners of the superlative Spaniard on the peak of his powers.
A boy marvel at Ajax, Marc Overmars helped the Dutch giants win three consecutive Eredivisie titles in addition to the UEFA Champions League earlier than arriving at Arsenal in 1997 with a critical popularity—not only for his dazzling wing play, but in addition for his worrying damage document.
Thankfully for the Gunners, apart from one minor ankle damage, these issues by no means materialized throughout his three stellar seasons in North London.
As an alternative, the Dutchman took English soccer by storm, scoring 40 targets, offering 33 assists, and enjoying a key position in Arsène Wenger’s aspect successful the Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997-98.
Within the historical past of soccer, you would be hard-pressed to discover a striker with a greater left foot than Robin van Persie—particularly when it got here to hitting the ball on the volley.
Arsenal’s second-top scorer of the twenty first century, Van Persie netted 132 targets in 278 appearances for the Gunners over eight seasons, together with a mixed 48 Premier League targets in simply 63 matches throughout his ultimate two seasons with the membership.
Most of the Dutchman’s strikes had been spotlight reel-worthy, however undoubtedly one of the best was his beautiful volley towards Charlton Athletic in 2006, when he leaped into the air and hammered the ball into the highest nook from simply outdoors the field.
Although, followers will not neglect his transfer to Manchester United souring their style on certainly one of their finest strikers of all time.
The late David Rocastle was a gentleman off the sphere, who, according to his former Arsenal teammate Michael Thomas, “had time for everybody.”
On it, he was each a aggressive, dedicated power to be reckoned with and a trailblazer in additional methods than one.
The English winger—who scored 34 targets and received two league titles in seven seasons with the Gunners—was one of many standout Afro-Caribbean stars of his era, following within the footsteps of pioneers like Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham in serving to break down racial obstacles.
A participant forward of his time, he additionally mixed tempo, grace, and dazzling aptitude in an period when physicality was typically prioritized over finesse.
By way of debuts, Freddie Ljungberg’s Arsenal inauguration in 1998 was nearly as good as they arrive, with the Swedish winger, sporting his well-known fake hawk, coming off the bench to attain a superb lob towards rivals Manchester United in an emphatic 3-0 win.
Though it took a short time for Ljungberg to search out his rhythm after that, by the flip of the century, he had firmly established himself as one of many membership’s key gamers.
Throughout Arsenal’s 2001-02 double-winning season, the Vittsjö-born star scored 17 targets in all competitions, together with six within the Gunners’ ultimate eight Premier League matches, serving to them safe the title and incomes himself the division’s Participant of the Season award.
Often known as “Chippy” attributable to his love for fish and chips, Liam Brady might have been born in Dublin, however he was Arsenal by means of and thru.
After rising by means of the Gunners’ academy, the terribly gifted attacking midfielder—blessed with a wand of a left foot—went on to make over 300 appearances for the north London membership, scoring 59 targets and enjoying a vital position of their 1979 FA Cup triumph.
Following his profitable stint at Highbury, Brady moved to Juventus, the place he received back-to-back Serie A titles, cementing his legacy as Irish soccer’s first world celebrity.
The Gunners’ third-highest scorer of all time, Bastin scored 178 targets in 395 video games for the membership—a outstanding tally, made much more spectacular by the truth that he spent a lot of his profession enjoying as a left winger reasonably than a standard striker.
A key determine in a dominant Arsenal aspect that received 5 First Division titles and two FA Cups throughout the Nineteen Thirties, Bastin was inducted into the English Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2009.
Sol Campbell precipitated fairly the stir when he left rivals Tottenham Hotspur to affix Arsenal in 2001, having beforehand vowed he would by no means commit such an act of betrayal.
Spurs followers have by no means forgiven him, however Gunners supporters have been thanking him ever since. The English defender solely grew stronger at Highbury, serving because the rock-solid spine of probably the most profitable intervals within the membership’s historical past.
Campbell received three FA Cups and two Premier League titles with Arsenal, the latter of which got here within the legendary “Invincibles” season. That 12 months, the staff went unbeaten, conceded simply 26 targets, and, in a accident, sealed the title with a 2-2 draw towards his former membership Spurs.
When speaking about Paul Merson, his off-field struggles with alcoholism and playing habit typically dominate the dialog, which makes his achievements and performances for Arsenal within the late Nineteen Eighties and ’90s much more outstanding.
A two-time league title winner and the 1989 PFA Younger Participant of the Yr, Merson was a magician—able to creating moments of brilliance and unlocking opposition defenses with mazy dribbles, chopping by means of balls, and exact finishes. He was additionally a tireless employee, recognized for his relentless urgent from the entrance.
Even the person himself is keen to confess that he might have been even higher if it weren’t for his struggles, particularly for England, for whom he made solely 21 appearances.
“I used to be ingesting so closely; if I hadn’t, I might’ve nicked myself one other 20-odd caps and executed higher for England,” he told FourFourTwo in 2006. “I blame myself; I do not blame the managers in any respect.”
The scorer of probably the most necessary and memorable targets in Arsenal’s historical past, Charlie George etched his title into membership folklore along with his beautiful extra-time winner towards Liverpool within the 1971 FA Cup ultimate. Latching onto John Radford’s sq. move, he unleashed a thunderous strike from 20 yards, securing the trophy for the primary time within the membership’s historical past.
Nevertheless, George was way over simply that one iconic aim. He additionally discovered the online within the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds of that very same competitors and scored 5 instances in 17 league appearances as Arsenal additionally received the First Division title.
Had it not been for a sequence of accidents and his tendency for ill-discipline, his legacy at Highbury might have been even better.
David O’Leary spent nearly his whole enjoying profession at Arsenal, retiring in 1995 because the membership’s document look holder with 722 matches performed between 1975 and 1993.
Throughout his almost 20 years in north London, the Irish defender received two league titles, two FA Cups, and two League Cups, and was named to the PFA Workforce of the Yr 3 times.
Impressively, he completed his skilled profession with out ever receiving a purple card for both membership or nation, a testomony to his composure and skill to stay calm beneath strain within the coronary heart of protection.
David Seaman: Nice ponytail, even higher goalkeeper.
Dubbed “Protected Arms” for good purpose, Seaman’s lightning-fast reflexes and reliable dealing with helped Arsenal safe three league titles, 4 FA Cups, and a League Cup throughout his 13 years in North London.
His legendary save against Sheffield United in the 2003 FA Cup semifinal, the place he unbelievably scooped Paul Peschisolido’s close-range header off the road, has gone down in goalkeeping folklore.
If we needed to choose only one phrase to explain Robert Pires, it might be “stylish.”
Fortunately, now we have multiple phrase to seize the essence of the proficient French winger, who spent the primary half of the noughties tearing aside Premier League defenses.
From his deft first touches and nonchalant lobs to delicate side-footed finishes and deceptively fast stepovers, Pires did every little thing with type and panache. The outcomes had been devastating, as “The Duck” (so named for his distinctive operating type) scored 84 targets and offered 63 assists in six trophy-laden seasons beneath Arsène Wenger.
Ashley, or “Cashley” as he is recognized now in north London, Cole, will ceaselessly be within the dangerous books of Arsenal followers attributable to his resolution to secretly engineer a high-profile transfer to Chelsea in 2006.
Suspect habits apart, nonetheless, there’s merely no denying that the Englishman is Arsenal’s, and the Premier League’s, greatest-ever left again.
Instrumental in each of Arsenal’s Premier League title wins this century and voted into three consecutive PFA Groups of the Yr between 2003 and 2005, Cole was a bona fide celebrity, with even the nice Cristiano Ronaldo naming him his toughest-ever opponent.
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Arsenal’s greatest-ever captain, Tony Adams was a towering determine whose presence was merely unattainable to disregard.
Although not essentially the most technically gifted of central defenders, Adams was courageous, bodily, and totally dedicated, typically placing his physique on the road to cease the opposition, whereas his vocal management and menacing demeanor didn’t simply intimidate opponents, but in addition his personal teammates—whom he wasn’t afraid to present a stern phrase to after they failed to satisfy his excessive requirements.
A middle again from a bygone period, but one which many golf equipment would snap their fingers for in the present day, Adams led the Arsenal protection with such valor that, with out him, the Gunners won’t have been the dominant power they had been all through the Nineteen Nineties.
Adored by Arsenal followers for his brilliance on the sphere and universally beloved off it for his charismatic, humble demeanor and charity work, Ian Wright is a soccer legend in each sense of the phrase.
A real goal-scoring machine, Wright netted 185 targets in 288 video games throughout all competitions for the Gunners—discovering the again of the online in each approach conceivable, whether or not by means of a cheeky 30-yard lob, a close-range tap-in, or a fierce strike from the sting of the field.
Past his targets, which helped Arsenal win a number of main honors—together with a first-ever Premier League title in 1997-98—Wright, a born showman, was a pleasure to look at. His unpredictable, tenacious type of play was matched solely by his theatrical aim celebrations, which made him all of the extra iconic.
As near being a “full” midfielder as they arrive, Patrick Vieira was a monster in the midst of the park, who struck worry into the hearts of Premier League groups throughout the nation throughout the Nineteen Nineties and noughties.
A towering presence each bodily and metaphorically, the Frenchman was each a strong runner with the ball––nearly unattainable to dispossess as soon as on a trademark run by means of the midfield––and ferocious and combative off it, by no means backing out of a problem and infrequently leaving a bit on his opposing quantity for good measure, too.
Named within the Premier League PFA Workforce of the Yr for six consecutive years from 1999 to 2004, Vieira epitomized every little thing that was good about Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal on the peak of their powers––an ideal mix of energy, method, and management that helped the Gunners dominate English soccer.
Dennis Bergkamp is your favourite gamers’ favourite participant.
“I actually didn’t suppose knowledgeable participant may very well be that good,” his former Arsenal teammate Paul Merson once admitted.
Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel echoed the sentiment: “He performed soccer prefer it was all a dream—you couldn’t even think about a number of the issues he was able to doing with a soccer.”
To show their level, simply have a look at Bergkamp’s otherworldly flip and end towards Newcastle United in 2002, broadly thought to be the greatest goal in Premier League history. Or his ridiculous contact and volley towards Leicester Metropolis. Or his audacious chipped end towards Bayer Leverkusen. Or his beautiful management and strike towards Argentina on the 1998 World Cup.
The checklist goes on—Bergkamp was merely a magician.
The best participant in Arsenal historical past—and arguably in Premier League historical past—Thierry Henry was a devastating power of nature within the ultimate third, but he made all of it look so easy.
Whether or not sprinting previous defenders with the grace of a gazelle, juggling the ball on his knees whereas gliding by means of midfield, or slotting the ball into the underside nook along with his trademark curled end—effortlessly opening up his physique earlier than stroking the ball past the goalkeeper—Henry had an nearly supernatural means to make these round him look utterly inferior.
From his first Arsenal aim—a surprising strike towards Southampton in 1999—to his final, a dramatic winner towards Leeds United within the FA Cup throughout his temporary but unforgettable mortgage return in 2012, Henry left an indelible mark on the membership, cementing his legacy because the Gunners’ greatest-ever participant.
