Share

Petit: Why I loved Arsenal

Cape Town - Emmanuel Petit says he loved his time at Arsenal because of the “crazy characters” in the squad.

The France international joined the club from Monaco in 1997 and went on to win the Premier League and the FA Cup during his three-year spell in north London.

Petit left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2000 but the former midfielder - who celebrates his 45th birthday this week - still has fond memories of the lively atmosphere in the dressing room.

“All the benches had inscriptions of the players who had passed and it was like being a part of history." Petit told arsenal.com.

"You’re part of history and you can feel all of the players who have come before in the energy in the dressing room. I also remember how friendly and welcoming David Dein was. I loved my time at Arsenal.

“We won the Premier League title and that was the first step for Arsène Wenger’s credibility in England, and also for the French players as well. We were playing under so much pressure because we knew that Arsène was French like us and we always had to do more, more, more.

“All the English players understood that and they knew from the beginning that we will do everything we can to win something and that we will do everything that we could to be part of the team.

“That’s why winning the FA Cup at Wembley was a win as well because the stadium was like the Stade de France. It was similar to winning the World Cup there and special too.”

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE