At the end of a nerve-wracking season, Arsenal win their first league title since 2004. Fans and team celebrate into the early hours. The season could become historic.
21.05.2026, 05:01
SDA
The players jumped through the rooms of the Arsenal training center singing and shouting "Campeones" over and over again. Around the Emirates Stadium, thousands of fans turned the streets into a sea of red and white jubilation. Arsenal's first league title in 22 years unleashed all kinds of emotions and was celebrated until 5am.
Now they are dreaming of the double of championship and Champions League in London. The next title is to follow in the final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30. Arsenal have never triumphed in the premier class.
Prime Minister and Arsenal fan Keir Starmer was one of the first to speak out on Tuesday evening. "22 long years for Arsenal," wrote Starmer, who is under a lot of political pressure. "But at last we're back where we belong. Champions!"
Arsenal survive dramatic final spurt of the season
After another slip-up by rivals Manchester City, the Londoners have already secured the title before the last matchday at the end of a nerve-wracking season - and have finally reached their goal after three second places in the championship. Coach Mikel Arteta, once Pep Guardiola's assistant at Man City, outdid his former master.
Since the seventh Premier League matchday, the Londoners have been at the top of the table almost continuously. At one point, Arsenal had a nine-point lead, with Man City having played fewer games. However, Arsenal seemed to run out of steam in the final few meters. The team looked increasingly nervous.
After the defeat against Man City, their rivals, who were level on points, even overtook them briefly thanks to their superior goal difference. "Panic on London's streets", City supporters mocked on a banner. Alluding to this, Arsenal fans displayed another banner after the title decision: "Party on London's streets".
Defender Declan Rice was combative after the defeat at City. "It's not over," he shouted to his team-mates on the pitch at the time. He was right. The Cityzens, who are famous for catching up and winning streaks at the end of the season, first slipped up at Everton (3:3) and now at Bournemouth (1:1).
A turnaround that lasted more than five years
Mikel Arteta, who took over as coach at the end of 2019 and initiated a radical change, is considered the architect of the club's success. "Arteta has taken over a toxic mess," wrote the Telegraph. Arsenal had long since ceased to be a title contender. In 2004, the "Invincibles" had celebrated their last coup under Arsène Wenger - a season without defeat.
"Two decades later and after many years of suffering, the Premier League is back with Arsenal," wrote the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo. Granit Xhaka, who was under contract with Arsenal until 2023, also reported: "This is all because of you Mikel. To all those who doubted him: Give this man and this coach the respect he deserves," the captain of the Swiss national team wrote on Instagram.
Trusting the process
Arteta was not afraid to weed out out-of-form or selfish stars such as Mesut Özil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He built a new team, whose key players are now Bukayo Saka, Martin Ödegaard and Declan Rice, and strengthened cohesion. "Trust the process" was his mantra, which he repeated especially when things were not going so well. The club management around co-owner Josh Kroenke were rewarded for their patience.
Critics complain that Arteta's football is too focused on security and ball possession. The coach, who often came across as dogged during the season, is probably not bothered by this now at the latest. "Mikel Arteta has cemented his place in our history as one of the greatest coaches of all time," it said on the Arsenal website after the title win.
