An emotional Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to Arsenal as his time at the club comes to a close. Speaking after yesterday’s hilarious events in North London and Newcastle, the skipper reflected on his career with the Gunners, having joined in August 2011.
The Spaniard is likely to retire from football altogether as he takes the next step in his life, and the esteem in which he holds the fans, his teammates, and everyone at the club was obvious.
Even before the final whistle went, after he scored that 4th goal, his eyes were leaky, and at the end of the game he couldn’t hold back the tears.
In a post-match interview with the official website, the lip wobbled a bit too, as he looked back on his time in red and white.
“It’s a day I will never forget, I can only thank everyone for how you have all behaved with me and my family in those magnificent five years.” he said.
“When you leave the club is when you see what you mean to people and how you feel about the club. My emotions and the way I feel about the people cannot be any better. I was very scared about this day because 99 per cent, that was my last game as a professional footballer.
“I can’t even talk. I feel very honoured to play for this club and captain this place. This club is class and once you are here you never forget it. It’s going to be hard for me to move on, but I really enjoyed today.”
And even on a day which almost everyone enjoyed because of the way it ended up, Arteta spoke about his own responsibility in not making things even better.
“I think as the last day it is very special, and very good as I know how important it was for the fans to finish above Spurs.
“We are disappointed, because this group of players have the ability to win the Premier League. We have not managed to do it and I have to say sorry as captain, not to be able to lead this club to what we wanted.
“But at the same time, I know the guts of this club and people can be very honoured and grateful for what people do inside, because it can’t get much better than that.”
What a guy, we’re going to miss him.
Waaay more to the club than simply winning titles alone.
Some people tend to forget that.
Always class. Its permanent.
He is class. All the best for the future.
That’s something the club and Wenger have in abundance of.
Hope Arteta doesn’t end up in a shitty place like ManC.
This man is class.
What a fucking shame he didn’t get the Spain call-up he deserved. Their loss Mikel.
Thank you for being great.
The man is class. Only spoiler is he might join the Spuds as coach!
No fucking way that will ever happen. Don’t even think it.
Arteta is the definition of a Leader.
Lovely stuff
Thank you Mikel, hope to see him back at Arsenal soon.
Could he still make the Irish squad?? Mikel O’Teta from Ballyfermot…
Everything’s funny this morning, but that made me choke on my coffee. Good work Handbag.
Congrats to Arteta, Tomas and Flamini. You were all a part of this club, and will undoubtedly be a part of this club’s history, for better or for worse. Thank you all and have a great rest of your career!
Is Flamini going? He wasn’t part of the celebrations and Wenger only said Rosicky and Arteta were going.
I cried, it was such an emotional day yesterday…best of luck going forward, wherever that might be.
Absolute class.
Great guy! role model for the club, he should have joined Arsenal a long time ago, his time at arsenal feels so short.
wish him all the best for the future 🙁 Bye Mikel
Good luck Mikel and all the best for the future. No doubt you’ll be missed. Make sure you don’t slack up with the hair too. We love it lego.
We will never forget you our lego haired spaniard. The best spanish player never to play for Spain.
And to everyone at the Emirates last night, what a show you guys put on for rosicky. I will forever love that man
I can see him being a fantastic coach
Its good to be a Gunner, Arteta knows that very well. This thing about trophies is good but must not overshadow the spirit of competition and endeavour. All clubs in the BPL deserve praise for giving us great fun. As for me celebrating saint Totteringham is much better than any league in the world. Arsenal is class, Arsen Wenger is class and being a goner is classier!!!!!!!
So Captain Arteta and Little Mozart leave with the same style and class they played the game with. Mikel’s words remind us how difficult and how humbling it must be to represent Arsenal. And through a very rough period, he’s somehow captained us to 2nd place.
I’d rather birch my own back than see yet another ex-player on City’s payroll, but if he really does wants to go there, no problem. He’ll be back one day.
A great player we should have signed years ago. Could only imagine how he would have played with Fabregras.
I hope he comes back one day as a serious option as a manager or a number 2.
Good luck!
Get him a statue – A leader amongst men.
All the very best Mikel.
For our generation who never got to see henry, Dennis and the rest in their prime this are our legends. I will always remember mad jens and arteta fondly and will forever be thankful to Eduardo, diaby and rosicky coz even though they never fulfilled their potential they provided me with some of the best memories from my time as an arsenal supporter
Don’t worry Mik, whatever the dubious goals have to say, that last goal was yours and we won’t ever forget it! He’s been a picture of class and reliability himself, couldn’t have picked a more fitting player to wear the armband and I worry for the Arteta shaped hole left in the dressing room, there aren’t many players with his eloquence and intelligence.
I still remember the day we signed him. After all the deliberations, I was thrilled we finally managed it at the last moment on deadline day. Some people really have short memory, and have questioned his value and contribution to the club. The season he joined, Cesc and Nasri had left us, and we were beaten 8-2 at United. It was the worst time of my life as a Gooner. Arteta came and stabilized our midfield, and our club. He chose us when others departed us, and he even sacrificed his attacking midfield role for the team. He became so… Read more »
I was so pleased when we signed him on that crazy deadline day. Ever since his first season at Everton I’d wanted him at Arsenal. It wasn’t a coincidence that the season he joined Everton got into the Champions League qualifying round.
A great leader and a genuinely nice and intelligent guy. Not enough footballers are like him.
he was our leader during the toughest phase and he always showed class.
Ooh captain my captain!!
The man is a gentleman and scholar, the true epitome of CLASS. Good luck, Mikel, wherever you go!