{"id":8837,"date":"2026-05-15T16:05:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T16:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=8837"},"modified":"2026-05-15T16:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T16:05:18","slug":"artetas-final-programme-notes-as-our-captain-feature-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=8837","title":{"rendered":"Arteta’s final programme notes as our captain | Feature | News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A decade ago in May 2016, Mikel Arteta said goodbye as our captain with his final programme notes in our 4-0 victory over Aston Villa.<\/em><\/p>\n

As usual, Mikel penned some honest, insightful and at times emotional notes as he prepared to hang up his boots and call time on his 17-year professional career. Those words have proven to be quite poignant given what we know now, following his lengthy tenure in our dugout.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here is what he wrote a decade ago:<\/p>\n

Planning these notes was quite emotional for me because this will be the last time I address you as an Arsenal player. My next step is to decide what I want to do next. I have a few options open and I have a very clear of what I want to do, but I won\u2019t be revealing that now. What I will say is that I\u2019m excited about the future. I\u2019ve been preparing myself for that. What\u2019s clear is that I love the game and I cannot live without football and my family – the most important thing in my life. I\u2019ve enjoyed every minute.<\/p>\n

For me it was a dream to come here because I always admired this club. My Arsenal debut was something special. I was so happy and privileged to be a part of this club. When you have the chance to get up on those steps at Wembley and lift a trophy, it\u2019s unbelievable. Arsenal was my favourite club in England when I was a kid.<\/p>\n

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\n Read more<\/span> <\/p>\n

10 years on: Mikel Arteta’s final game for Arsenal <\/span>
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To become the Arsenal captain and to share the nice moments that we\u2019ve been through has been a spectacular experience for me. I\u2019ve tried to take on board all the help and commitment that has been shown by all the players and the staff in every department, who I have tried to bring together. I hope whoever follows me as captain carries on trying to maintain the values of this club because that is what sustains us in the long term.<\/p>\n

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“It\u2019s been a huge honour, a privilege, and I can only promise that I\u2019ve done my best”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In the last few years, I\u2019ve tried to encourage the younger players in the squad to make a step forward, to participate, organise things and become more vocal. They are the future of the club – it\u2019s in their hands and they have to be able to manage that. Hopefully they are prepared for it. Sometimes at the highest level of sport, age can dictate whether you can carry on or not. But some aspects need to be passed from generation to generation. Hopefully they can follow the standards that have been set. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always had a very good relationship with Ars\u00e8ne Wenger. We\u2019ve been through difficult moments and really nice moments but what I will take from him more than anything is the way he\u2019s managed the club – the way he handles the pressure and prioritises the principles, ambitions and restrictions of the club in front of his own commitment, ego and what people are expecting. He has the whole picture. Even with massive pressure, he\u2019s not guided by it. He\u2019s guided by his feelings and what he thinks for the club. He\u2019s so loyal and it\u2019s very hard to see people like that in football.<\/p>\n

Finally, I would just like to thank you all so much for the way in which you\u2019ve supported me during my time here. It\u2019s been a huge honour, a privilege, and I can only promise that I\u2019ve done my best. I tried to behave in the most professional way and maximise the resources we have. I\u2019m at peace with that. Our ambition this season was to win the Premier League and we\u2019re so disappointed that we came short with that aim, because it\u2019s not good enough for this club.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019ll always be proud that I was able to help give the fans some trophies, which they had been waiting for a long time for. Winning two FA Cups in a row was special but for me, it\u2019s not enough for a club like this. It shouldn\u2019t be the ambition. Hopefully the new generation will be better than us and will become fantastic leaders and heroes here. <\/p>\n

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\n Read more<\/span> <\/p>\n

Quiz: Name our line-up from Arteta’s final game <\/span>
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Copyright 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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