Mikel Arteta doesn’t believe he’ll ever get the chance to represent Spain at international level despite being a first team regular at Arsenal and one of the Premier League’s most consistent midfielders for the best part of a decade.
The former Evertonian, who represented his country at every age group between 16-21, did get a call-up in February 2009 only for a serious knee injury, sustained days later, to sideline him for the best part of the year.
Citing his age and the quality of midfield options at coach Vicente del Bosque’s disposal, Arteta lamented:
“I’ve got to be realistic. I’m 31 and, if I’ve not been called up by now, I can’t see it happening.
“Spain have got the best midfield in Europe with players such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets and Juan Mata, so I really can’t complain if I’m not selected by Vicente Del Bosque.
“The intention and illusion remains to play for my country but the reality is that my chances of joining the national team are very, very low.”
Arseblog News (in the form of @7amkickoff) analysed Arteta’s performance back in October 2012 coming to the conclusion that statistically our lego-haired friend more than deserved a shot on the international stage.
What’s more, Santi Cazorla, himself a regular for La Roja, also revealed that he couldn’t understand the decision to omit such an influential character:
“Seriously, I wonder why you’ve never been with the national team. Look you’ve had some incredible seasons with Everton and now you’re the deputy captain of Arsenal.
“How strange that you’ve not yet had a chance. There are many players in that position, but I do wonder.”
It does now look unlikely that Mikel will get his chance with Spain, but we suppose their loss is our gain. May his legs stay as healthy as his glorious head of hair and may he metronomically set the tone of Arsenal attacks for years to come.
Here here, loved Arteta at Everton, love him more at Arsenal. Should be captain at the moment in my opinion.
I felt that for the end of last season he basically was
Such a shame for Mikel, as it’s obviously something he would’ve loved.
He’s a true classy, professional bloke though and my one regret is we didn’t sign him up earlier. Top man.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Can you imagine the sought of midfield we would’ve had if we had signed him seasons earlier. Cesc, Rosicky, Diaby, Nasri, Wilshere, Song…… 2009-2010 midfield would’ve looked a shade better.
Feel sad for him. He really really wants it, and it wouldn’t have hurt them giving him a call up at least for the Confed Cup. Actually, it kind of pisses me off. Fuck off Spain.
It’s a shame that a player of his quality and personality will never get the call. When he hangs up his boots he deserves to be able to look back and say he was a full international player. From a purely selfish point of view it may mean we get more from him, which isn’t a bad thing at all!
Wenger’s choice of captain have confused me ever since he chose Gallas over Gilberto.
Gallas over Gilberto was a travesty. I think though, given Vermaelen’s status in the squad at the time, nobody was surprised that he usurped Arteta (who’d only been around for a year) for the captaincy. It’s a shame Thomas’ form has dipped and he’s picked up a few injuries but there’s a good player in there somewhere. It wasn’t for nothing we were all relieved that he signed a new long-term contract not too long ago…
I trust the Hound’s senses on this one 🙂
I don’t see any real problems coming from the fact that Vermaelen keeps the title of captain, and I think that decision is defensible. If Vermaelen isn’t on the park, it’s clear enough that Arteta is the captain. Off the field, I’m sure both of them play a “leadership” role anyway.
To take an example from elsewhere: Garry Monk has been Swansea’s captain over the past two seasons despite barely getting a game, and I don’t think Swansea has suffered from that at all.
I think the reason for Gallas as captain at the time was was, even though he and Gilberto were as experienced as each other in a young team, Gallas was much more of a vocal character. Mojority that is an important quality for a captain, but it can and did backfire when Gallas threw one strop too many at his team mates instead of encouraging them, wrecking team morale.
Love him to bits..and he should be captain ahead of the belgian joker! However, a top club like Arsenal should be aiming at higher calibre players being made captain. He’s good but not world class, and Arsenal captain have been generally world class in the past. Oh well we’ll wait until Jack sorts himself out and become world class.
TV is hardly a “belgian joker”. Yes his formed dipped over the past season but he was immense when he first arrived and we’ll see him back at that level before long.
On top of that Arteta IS world class
I was unaware that Stuart Robson is Indonesian.
…or that Weetabix is French.
i have a theory that the spanish dont like it when their players play in the epl. cesc never started when he was at arsenal.
Have to feel for him don’t you – any other National team in the world and he’d walk into it, just rotten luck for him that Spain have SO many talented midfielders and with most of them playing in Spain it just makes it that much harder for him to get the notice I guess. Have to admit Busquets even though I cannot STAND the guy with his cheating ways is a very good player, personally I think a lot of people seem to underrate just how good he is – whether they are put off by the whole package… Read more »
Don’t know why that comment showed up as a reply either lol it wasn’t meant to be 😛 But as far as the not liking players from the EPL goes – I think most countries do it to be honest, at least those with a high level national league anyway, we don’t see it as much with English players because hardly any of them play outside the PL. But the same thing happens even here with regards to certain clubs being preferred, often talented players from ‘lesser’ clubs seem to get overlooked in favour of players from Utd, Chelsea etc.
what about mata, torres, azilpecueta, cazorla, reyes to name but a few. these all have started games playing EPL football.
I just dont think they rate Fabregas. i mean how the fuck Busquets starts infront of him at club and national level is beyond me. Come home to Arsenal Cesc!
Busquets doesn’t. Cesc has started more games than any other outfield player at Barcelona last season. This whole ‘Cesc rots on the bench’ is far from the truth.
Yes, but Barca also use Fabregas at just about every position in midfield, and I think sometimes up front too, well, as far forward as Barca ever put a player. What other top quality player gets treated in this way? They all have one primary position they play at, occasionally being played elsewhere if they really must
Yeah…cesc is more loved & respected at Arsenal than in spain……
A shame for him personally, but being selfish, this is a good thing for Arsenal.
He’s not a youngster, so managing his game time means we’ll get the absolute maximum out of his twilight years. Plus, if he were to elevate to the international level, we all know who would come sniffing around with almighty wage offers. And then, would we be in a position to begrudge him a huge pay day move?
He’s our captain in my eyes, hope he stays for the rest of his career.
He’s our ‘Bergkamp-in-twilight-years’ figure..still good, classy, a leader, makes people around him play better, although not world class. The difference is though, Bergkamp was, whereas Arteta played for a defensive midtable team who relied on set pieces and organisation. Not pretty.
“Bergkamp”…”Although not world class”.
.
.
Sorry?
Surely he cannot have meant that?
What is this blasphemy that you speak of?
He had another Stewart Robson moment.
Come on Arteta, you cannot say that Sergio busqets is among the best midfielders. Busquets is a cunt that squirts each time he sees a football
I really can’t help but feel sorry for him about all this. He has turned heads in the Prem League and yet he’s still overlooked in favour of others like Busquets who, don’t get me wrong is indeed tad decent, but I don’t really think you can say he’s in any way better than Arteta. Other than diving obviously..
Oh wake up. Obv barca and busquets are diving cheats. But busquets is a great player, good passing, sets the tempo well, good interceptions and tactical fouls, and a decent physical presence. Better than arteta..not by much though.
And thats where the problem is.
If he is not far off busquets or in my case I believe he’s at per or even better why is he never even considered?
Whole thing stinks, the spanish team stinks.
I guess del bosque likes that barca trio in the middle…however i think if arteta played for a top club much before 2011 he would get a look in.
It’s because those midfielders have been playing together for so many years. Don’t get me wrong, Arteta is just as capable in terms of passing and decision making, but you can’t beat the 5 years or more of chemistry built around Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta. It’s shame really.. I totally believe Arteta deserves more =/. Perhaps, he could give England a chance, but that would just be weird.
Just a reminder I despise Busquets and Xavi and Pep Guardiola.
What about Puyol and Casper the friendly ghost?
Can’t Del Bosque just give him ONE friendly game? Is it going to hurt the squad to have yer another ridiculously good passer in the team?
I believe he is currently our most valuable player, backed by his midfield stats (interceptions, tackles,) games won when he is present, his leadership role and that’s before you consider his vision for the game and playing ability.
Seriously love this guy and glad he doesn’t play for Spain… Surrounded by those cunts.. Yes I’m still holding a grudge over that team
However with that being said I would love for him to get at least one national cap, he deserves it, massively underrated by the Spanish coaches but loved by the Arsenal and Everton fans (and the club he played for in Scotland, can’t remember which one)
A – rsenally
R – esplendent
T – igerish
E – legant
T – ough
A – rtistic
My dream is that we bloody sign someone!
Ok I know I’ll be lynched but……………Arteta is not world class so isn’t good enough for Spain and we don’t need a Fabregas type of player. We need a more physical presence. Love em both but we can’t be romantic about this
Anyone who claims Arteta is better or even as good as Sergio Busquets is a fucking idiot. Enough said.
So said Danny in the book of Danny Chapter 7 Verse 3.
its not like spain have won fuck all with out him.
At least he wouldn’t get his hair all messy like xavi’s playing for la Roja. Come on u sexy bloke.. Concentrate on your Arsenal
You’re a d*ck, who told you you could have an opinion?
Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness.
He’s not good enough
We’d have been truly fucked for the last two years if we hasn’t signed Mikel with 10 Seconds left on the transfer deadline day.
Typical Wenger panic buy.
Look at the midfield he named. There are 3 or 4 other midfielders he forgot. I’m pretty sure that no other country has ever had this many quality midfielders to pick from at a single time. Arteta is unlucky not to have gotten picked, we should have signed him 5 years ago.
Hey. Among spaims best midfielders listed you did not include our own carzola. Also of I were del bosque I will just invite arteta, if only to play 1 game
So my dream season for 2014-15 has now gone from “Beats Barcelona in the Champions League final to round off an Arsenal treble” to “An Arteta goal beats Barcelona in the Champions League final to round off an Arsenal treble. Del Bosque can no longer ignore him after the way he bossed the entire Spanish midfield for 90 minutes.”
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