This is a detailed profile of Arsenal Football Club – one of the big teams in English football. Learn all about the North London side’s history, honours, players, managers, stadium and plenty more besides.
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Arsenal Logo & History
Arsenal Logo & HistoryFounded in the autumn of 1886 by munitions workers from the Royal Arsenal, the club has always been known as the Gunners. Initially called Dial Square, the name was soon changed to the place of work associated with it. From 1893, they became Woolwich Arsenal and soon reached the First Division.
Despite almost going bankrupt in 1910 and enduring relegation back to the second Division in 1913, the outbreak of the First World War saved Arsenal FC in a way. The grandstand at their Plumstead ground was burnt down by the Suffragettes, so they moved across the River Thames to Highbury.
Controversially promoted back into an expanded First Division via a Football League vote in 1919, Arsenal have never been relegated since. They are one of England’s most successful clubs domestically winning the league championship on 13 occasions and first in 1930-31, the FA Cup a record 14 times and League Cup twice.
At their most dominant in the 1930s, the Arsenal Invincibles team of 2003-04 won the Premier League title without losing a game. In more recent times, the Gunners have been best known for their exploits in FA Cup fixtures with an excellent record when reaching the final.
Emblazoned on the Arsenal badge is a mounted cannon. It is one of the most appropriate logos in football. Initially three barrels viewed from above, this changed to a single cannon pointing westwards from 1922 but then changed direction to eastwards from 2002 when the current crest was adopted.
Arsenal Kit
The Arsenal kits worn at home are easily recognisable. They play in a red jersey with white sleeves, white shorts and red socks. These are the traditional colours of an Arsenal shirt and home strip. When they’re on the road, however, there are different outfits for the players.
Whereas the Arsenal home kit is clearly defined with a few variations of style with each new season, the strip on their travels contrasts with this. A popular Arsenal away kit over the years has seen the Gunners turn out in different shades of yellow, sometimes with navy shorts. Other change strips have been predominantly different hues of blue in recent years.
Club Honours
- Premier League / First Division – 13 times: 1930-31, 1932-33, 1933-34, 1934-35, 1937-38, 1947-48, 1952-53, 1970-71, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1997-98, 2000-01, 2003-04
- Top Flight Promotions – twice: 1903-04, 1914-15 (voted ahead of 1919-20)
- FA Cup – 14 times: 1929-30, 1935-36, 1949-50, 1970-71. 1978-79, 1992-93, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2019-20
- EFL Cup / League Cup – twice: 1986-87, 1992-93
- FA Community Shield / Charity Shield – 16 times: 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1948, 1953, 1991 (joint), 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020
- UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup / European Cup Winners’ Cup – once: 1993-94
The Gunners haven’t had much luck in European competitions. The one time they reached the final in 2006, Arsenal Champions League hopes of glory were dashed by FC Barcelona and impact sub Henrik Larsson setting up both goals in a 2-1 win. Although the won the old Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994, that remains their only continental honour.
When Arsenal F.C. have been in the UEFA Cup / Europa League, they have lost finals in 2000 and 2019. While the Gunners hold the record for most FA Cup wins, another lucky event for them is the Community Shield. Their 16 victories in that season curtain-raiser is only bettered by one other club.
Latest Arsenal Betting Odds
All of the leading Premier League betting sites tend to treat the Gunners differently. Some believe the consistency of previous eras to be a thing of the past but don’t discount them from going on a run in cup competitions. Here are the latest Arsenal odds on offer with the bookies:
| Competition | Best Arsenal Odds | Bookmaker |
| Premier League | 100/3 | Betway |
| FA Cup | 12/1 | bet365 |
| Champions League | 9/1 | Betvictor |
Arsenal Squad
You can always expect talented players in the Gunners’ ranks. While today’s roster may not quite reach the heights of the Arsenal Invincibles team, there are some very gifted footballers plying their trade in this corner of North London. We break down the current Arsenal squad by position:
Arsenal Goalkeeper Options
Bob Wilson, Pat Jennings, David Seaman, Jens Lehmann and Petr Cech are just some of the great Gunners goalies at the club down the years. When it comes to Arsenal games today, here are the keepers in the first team picture vying for a starting spot:
- 1. Aaron Ramsdale (England)
- 30. Matt Turner (USA)
Arsenal Defenders
Plenty of Gunners legends play at the back. We’re talking about Terry Neill, Pat Rice, David O’Leary, Kenny Sansom, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould, Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Per Mertesacker and more. Today’s Arsenal line up in defence have some act to follow but here they are:
- 2. Hector Bellerin (Spain)
- 3. Kieran Tierney (Scotland)
- 4. Ben White (England)
- 6. Gabriel Magalhaes (Brazil)
- 12. William Saliba (France)
- 16. Rob Holding (England)
- 17. Cedric Soares (Portugal)
- 18. Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan)
- 35. Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine)
Arsenal Midfielders
Go back through the Gunners’ history and you’ll find a ton of great midfielders, wingers and wide players. George Armstrong, Graham Rix, Paul Merson, Ray Parlour, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fabregas, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil are just some examples. These are the midfielders competing for spots in the next Arsenal match right now:
- 5. Thomas Partey (Ghana)
- 7. Bukayo Saka (England)
- 8. Martin Odegaard (Norway)
- 10. Emile Smith Rowe (England)
- 15. Ainsley Maitland-Niles (England)
- 21. Fabio Vieira (Portugal)
- 23. Albert Sambi Lokonga (Belgium)
- 25. Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)
- 34. Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
Arsenal Strikers
Playing up front for the Gunners means following in the footsteps of Cliff Bastin, John Radford, George Graham, Charlie Nicholas, Alan Smith, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie, Olivier Giroud and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to name a few great strikers. Here are the present forwards looking to nail down their places in the Arsenal team news and starting XI today:
- 9. Gabriel Jesus (Brazil)
- 11. Gabriel Martinelli (Brazil)
- 14. Eddie Nketiah (England)
- 19. Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast)
- 24. Reiss Nelson (England)
- 27. Marquinhos (Brazil)
Arsenal Players with Most Appearances
If footballers want to make it on to the all-time top 10 appearances list for the Gunners, then it’s perfectly simple. They have to play in 480 Arsenal matches, which is a pretty high threshold. The club has inspired great loyalty from those representing it on the pitch down the years, including these guys:
| Rank | Player Name | Years | League Games | FA Cup Matches | League Cup Appearances | European Games | Other Matches | Total |
| 1 | David O’Leary | 1975-1993 | 558 | 70 | 70 | 21 | 3 | 722 |
| 2 | Tony Adams | 1983-2002 | 504 | 54 | 59 | 48 | 4 | 669 |
| 3 | George Armstrong | 1961-1977 | 500 | 60 | 35 | 26 | 0 | 621 |
| 4 | Lee Dixon | 1988-2002 | 458 | 54 | 45 | 57 | 5 | 619 |
| 5 | Nigel Winterburn | 1987-2000 | 440 | 47 | 49 | 43 | 5 | 584 |
| 6 | David Seaman | 1990-2003 | 405 | 48 | 38 | 69 | 4 | 564 |
| 7 | Pat Rice | 1964-1980 | 397 | 67 | 36 | 27 | 1 | 528 |
| 8 | Peter Storey | 1965-1977 | 391 | 51 | 37 | 22 | 0 | 501 |
| 9 | John Radford | 1964-1976 | 379 | 44 | 34 | 24 | 0 | 481 |
| 10 | Peter Simpson | 1964-1978 | 370 | 53 | 33 | 21 | 0 | 477 |
All Time Arsenal Top Scorers
A mere 125 goals for the club will put you on the Gunners leading scorers list. That sounds a lot simpler than it actually is. These are the leading marksmen among Arsenal players across all competitions and in the team’s entire history:
| Rank | Player Name | Years | League Goals | FA Cup Goals | League Cup Goals | European Goals | Other Goals | Total |
| 1 | Thierry Henry | 1999-2007 & 2012 | 175 | 8 | 2 | 42 | 1 | 228 |
| 2 | Ian Wright | 1991-1998 | 128 | 12 | 29 | 15 | 1 | 185 |
| 3 | Cliff Bastin | 1929-1947 | 150 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 178 |
| 4 | John Radford | 1964-1976 | 111 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 149 |
| 5= | Jimmy Brain | 1923-1931 | 125 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 139 |
| 5= | Ted Drake | 1934-1945 | 124 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 139 |
| 7 | Doug Lishman | 1948-1956 | 125 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 137 |
| 8 | Robin van Persie | 2004-2012 | 96 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 0 | 132 |
| 9 | Joe Hulme | 1926-1938 | 107 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 125 |
| 10 | David Jack | 1928-1934 | 113 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 124 |
Biggest Arsenal Signings & Transfers
While Arsenal today probably can’t compete with the richest clubs in world football, they have often been run prudently. This has coincided with their recent policy in the transfer window.
Besides developing what homegrown players they can, they also often purchase young talent from Europe, Africa and South America and develop them. The aim is for the Gunners to get the most they can out of these footballers whilst entering and in their prime.
Most Expensive Arsenal Transfers
The Gunners have only made three signings that cost in excess of £50,000,000 up front. There has been a reluctance to spend big money at the club. The Arsenal transfer record for a buy stands at over £70,000,000 though. Review their biggest signings in terms of outlay below:
| Rank | Player Name | Year Signed | Club Signed From | Reported Fee |
| 1 | Nicolas Pepe | 2019 | Lille | £72,000,000 |
| 2 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 2018 | Borussia Dortmund | £56,000,000 with £5,000,000 in add-ons |
| 3 | Ben White | 2021 | Brighton & Hove Albion | £50,000,000 |
| 4 | Alexandre Lacazette | 2017 | Lyon | £45,000,000 with £7,000,000 in add-ons |
| 5= | Thomas Partey | 2020 | Atletico Madrid | £45,000,000 |
| 5= | Gabriel Jesus | 2022 | Manchester City | £45,000,000 |
Club’s Most Expensive Sales
While few Arsenal signings have cost the earth in football terms, the same can be said of their departures. The Gunners’ record sale was just £25,000,000 until 2011 when then Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas returned to Spain. They have since only let one player go for more money. Here are the club’s top five departures in terms of fees:
| Rank | Player Name | Year Sold | Club Sold To | Reported Fee |
| 1 | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain | 2017 | Liverpool | £40,000,000 |
| 2= | Cesc Fabregas | 2011 | Barcelona | £35,000,000 |
| 2= | Alex Iwobi | 2019 | Everton | £35,000,000 |
| 4= | Marc Overmars | 2000 | Barcelona | £25,000,000 |
| 4= | Emmanuel Adebayor | 2009 | Manchester City | £25,000,000 |
Arsenal Manager List – Head Coaches Past & Present
There have been just 28 permanent and caretaker Arsenal managers throughout the club’s storied history. Mikel Arteta, a former Arsenal captain, occupies the hotseat right now. Here are all the Gunners gaffers from the very beginning right through until today:
- Thomas Mitchell (1897-1898)
- William Elcoat (1898-1899)
- Arthur Kennedy (1899)*
- Harry Bradshaw (1899-1904)
- Phil Kelso (1904-1908)
- George Morrell (1908-1915)
- James McEwen (1915-1919)*
- Leslie Knighton (1919-1925)
- Herbert Chapman (1925-1934)
- Joe Shaw (1934)*
- George Allison (1934-1947)
- Tom Whittaker (1947-1956)
- Jack Crayston (1956-1958)
- George Swindin (1958-1962)
- Billy Wright (1962-1966)
- Bertie Mee (1966-1976)
- Terry Neill (1976-1983)
- Don Howe (1983-1986)
- Steve Burtenshaw (1986)*
- George Graham (1986-1995)
- Stewart Houston (1995)*
- Bruce Rioch (1995-1996)
- Stewart Houston (1996)*
- Pat Rice (1996)*
- Arsene Wenger (1996-2018)
- Unai Emery (2018-2019)
- Freddie Ljungberg (2019)*
- Mikel Arteta (2019-present)
Arsenal Stadium – The Emirates Stadium
After opening at the start of the 2006-07 season, the Gunners now have the fourth largest football stadium in England. The new Arsenal ground, called the Emirates Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is on Ashburton Grove in the Holloway district of Islington, North London.
The Gunners previously called Highbury home from 1913 to 2006 after moving from Manor Ground in Plumstead just before the outbreak of the First World War. Both Highbury and the Emirates have been called Arsenal Stadium alternatively. The two grounds are very close together, less than a mile apart as the crow flies, with Highbury Square now the site of the club’s long-time home.
Arsenal Rivalries
The Arsenal score in certain games matters even more than others. This is because, like any of the top Premier League teams, the Gunners have developed rivalries were other clubs over the years. Most of these feuds are with other London sides. We start with their nearest neighbours, Tottenham Hotspur:
Arsenal vs Tottenham – The North London Derby
Spurs resented Arsenal F.C. moving into their turf, just four miles from White Hart Lane, when the switch from Manor Ground to Highbury happened in 1913. Things really escalated in the Tottenham vs Arsenal rivalry after the First World War when national football resumed in 1919.
The Football League decided to expand the old First Division but, rather than save Tottenham Hotspur from relegation after finishing bottom in 1914-15, the last completed season, the Gunners were voted in to the top flight in their place. That is a major reason why the Arsenal vs Spurs rivalry became so heated.
Over the next century, this match has developed into a must-see game for any football fan. Spurs vs Arsenal is a feud that the Gunners have historically had the better of. They hold a clear edge over their North London neighbours and bitter enemies in league and domestic cup encounters. Here are the Arsenal results and head-to-head against Tottenham:
| Competition | Arsenal Wins | Draws | Spurs Wins |
| League Games | 68 | 47 | 55 |
| FA Cup Matches | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| League Cup Games | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 79 | 51 | 61 |
Arsenal vs Chelsea
Here’s a fact for you. No Arsenal game against Chelsea in Europe has ended in a Gunners victory. That only turns up the heat on a rivalry that at one time decided who would be Premier League champions. Back in the middle part of the first decade of the 2000s, Chelsea vs Arsenal FC was a match with some real spice.
Respective managers Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho didn’t get on. There was name-calling that carried on long after “the Special One” left Stamford Bridge. England left back Ashley Cole departed the Gunners for Chelsea causing more friction, while the 2007 League Cup final between the two clubs was marred by three red cards.
As Arsenal fixtures go, then, these games are also pretty terse. The head-to-head record shows the Gunners enjoying the better of league and FA Cup encounters but Chelsea enjoy that undefeated record in Europe against them. Here’s the full tale of the tape:
| Competition | Arsenal Wins | Draws | Chelsea Wins |
| League Games | 66 | 50 | 54 |
| FA Cup Matches | 10 | 6 | 5 |
| League Cup Games | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| European Matches | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Other Games | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 80 | 59 | 66 |
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Much like Chelsea, the Gunners haven’t beaten Liverpool FC in European competition but hold a clear edge in the FA Cup. League meetings favour the Merseysiders, meanwhile. These are the Arsenal vs Liverpool head-to-head stats:
| Competition | Arsenal Wins | Draws | Liverpool Wins |
| League Games | 65 | 52 | 78 |
| FA Cup Matches | 8 | 4 | 5 |
| League Cup Games | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| European Matches | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Other Games | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 81 | 62 | 93 |
Arsenal vs Man United
Man U vs Arsenal FC is a rivalry that reached fever pitch in the late 1990s and early 2000s surrounding the two managers and the club’s respective captains. Legendary Gunners gaffer Wenger had a long-running feud with his Old Trafford counterpart, Sir Alex Ferguson. These two bosses battled it out for the Premier League title for several season.
Arsenal vs Man Utd somehow only became even more intense rivals when Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane opposed on another in midfield. Two combative engine room operators, they came to symbolise their respective clubs. While the Gunners under Wenger were all about the French connection, Manchester United were the best of British (and Irish) with a sprinkling of foreign talent.
Man Utd vs Arsenal is now viewed as a classic British football rivalry. From clashes in the tunnel to tackles flying in on the pitch, games were never short on drama or importance. Arsenal vs Man U enjoyed renewed heat when Robin van Persie left North London for Manchester and fired Ferguson’s men to the title.
Man United vs Arsenal isn’t a rivalry that has seen the Gunners always to best effect. They trail head-to-heads in the league and domestic cups, while they’ve beaten the Red Devils in Europe. The FA Community Shield has been kind to Arsenal, though as previous meetings reveal:
| Competition | Arsenal Wins | Draws | Man Utd Wins |
| League Games | 73 | 49 | 84 |
| FA Cup Matches | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Other Games | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 81 | 62 | 93 |
Man City vs Arsenal
Until they started poaching players from the Gunners like Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Bacary Sagna and Kolo Toure, Manchester City weren’t really rivals. In a couple of summer transfer windows, all the latest Arsenal news felt like it was footballers being linked with swapping the Emirates for the Etihad.
Arsenal vs Man City is one rivalry where the Gunners clearly hold a decisive edge. League matches and FA Cup ties sit in their favour. That doesn’t change the fact that fans in North London remain jealous of this team for snapping up top talent. This is the full head-to-head list of past encounters:
| Competition | Arsenal Wins | Draws | Man City Wins |
| League Games | 87 | 44 | 57 |
| FA Cup Matches | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| League Cup Games | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 98 | 45 | 62 |
Arsenal vs West Ham
West Ham United have become a more local rival for the Gunners ever since they left Upton Park and moved into the old Olympic Stadium. Now called the London Stadium, it’s just five miles between the Hammers’ current ground and the Emirates. The West Ham vs Arsenal is one where the Gunners have won twice as many matches as their opponents as the overall head-to-head record shows:
| Competition | Arsenal Wins | Draws | West Ham Wins |
| League Games | 64 | 35 | 29 |
| FA Cup Matches | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 70 | 41 | 35 |
European Rivalries
Besides Barcelona, who defeated the Gunners in the 2006 Champions League final, their European feuds with teams on the continent are mainly Italian and German. They’ve seen plenty of Bundesliga big boys Bayern Munich in the 2010s, for example.
Arsenal have had just the one tie with Real Madrid in history. They also lost the 2000 UEFA Cup final on penalties to Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray. Other than winning the old Cup Winners’ Cup, they just haven’t had a lot of luck in European competitions.
That win in 1994 came over Parma. It’s other Italian Serie A teams that have been consistently at the top of football in that country that Arsenal fixtures in Europe have included since. We’re talking about the biggest clubs in Italy.
Notably AC Milan actually, a team the Gunners have met in the knockout phase of both the Champions League and Europa League and won ties against. Seeing multiple opposition players sent off in their 2006 Champions League quarter-final meeting with Juventus also added a dimension to any future meetings with the Old Lady.
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