LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 18: Mikel Arteta, head coach of Arsenal, celebrates during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Burnley at Emirates Stadium on May 18, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

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Arsenal might not have been playing when its Premier League title triumph was sealed on Tuesday, but the scenes around the Emirates Stadium were reflective of how long the club’s fanbase was made to wait for such an achievement. 22 years, to be precise. Over two decades had passed since Arsenal was last at the top of English soccer.

Many doubted it would ever get there again. Arsenal was in the doldrums for many of the post-Arsene Wenger years. Even this season as it appeared the Gunners were heading for the Premier League title, their stuttering form after the March international window raised questions about their mentality.

Since losing to Manchester City in March, Arsenal has won all but six of its matches in all competitions with the one exception being a 1-1 draw away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League which contributed to Mikel Arteta’s making the final of the competition against Paris Saint-Germain later this month.

Arteta and his players steadied themselves after the wobble they had around the time of the damaging loss to Manchester City. Rather than bottling the title race, Arsenal showed it has the strongest mindset of any side in the Premier League right now, peaking at the right time of the campaign.

This could be the greatest season in Arsenal’s entire history. The North London outfit is preparing for only its second-ever Champions League final later this month. The Gunners have never been crowned European champions and a double, coupled with the Premier League title, would be proof of their quality.

The last few years have been a process for Arteta. He inherited a mess after taking over from Unai Emery in December 2019. The squad was unbalanced and the Emirates Stadium had become a toxic environment after years of underachievement stretching back to the dying days of the Arsene Wenger era.

Over time, though, Arteta changed the landscape. He imposed a style of play that ultimately led to Arsenal winning the Premier League title this season. It wasn’t always the most expansive or attractive approach, but Arsenal’s league-leading defence was the thing that got them over the line ahead of Manchester City when it mattered most.

Arsenal’s title win is the ultimate vindication for Arteta who has faced criticism for many quarters for his leaderstyle style. At times, the Spaniard hasn’t made it easy for himself, but he was the driving force behind the Premier League champions. He now has a shiny trophy to make his point for him.