Arsenal F.C.

Lore & Background

Herbert Chapman introduced the WM formation and shirt numbers, revolutionizing the club's tactics. The iconic white-sleeved kit debuted in 1933, after Chapman's death, though he may have influenced its design. Floodlights were not introduced by Arsenal, having been used earlier elsewhere.

Reader's Guide

Arsenal's significance lies in its sustained success and innovation in English football. The club has won the second-most top-flight matches in English football history. Arsène Wenger's tenure brought modern training methods and an unprecedented 49-game unbeaten league run.

Did You Know?

• Arsenal has won a record 14 FA Cups, more than any other English club.
• The club's motto 'Victoria Concordia Crescit' is Latin for 'Victory Through Harmony'.

The Centenary Title

It marked the Gunners' 100th consecutive season in the top flight, a record no other side has ever matched, and their 109th top-flight season overall. It was their 14th top-flight championship and fourth in the Premier League era. The club officially marked the triumph with a victory over Crystal Palace on 24 May, bringing a long, aching wait to a close.

The Long Shadow of 2024–25

They won 20 league games—eight fewer than the year before—and dropped 21 points from winning positions, a joint-worst single-season record. Yet the defensive record remained elite, with a league-low 34 goals conceded, and the side finished as runners-up for a third straight season, becoming the first club to achieve that feat twice in English top-flight history.

European Ambition and Squad Renewal

Paris Saint-Germain ultimately proved too strong, winning 3–1 on aggregate to send Arsenal home.

Pre-season and the New Era

The pre-season tour took the squad to Singapore, where they beat AC Milan 1–0 thanks to Bukayo Saka's second-half tap-in from a Jakub Kiwior cross, before edging Newcastle 3–2 with 15-year-old Max Dowman drawing a decisive penalty converted by Martin Ødegaard. Back at the Emirates, friendlies against Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao produced mixed results, though the Gunners closed the Emirates Cup fixture with a comfortable 3–0 victory over the Basque side just eight days before their Premier League opener at Old Trafford.