Manchester City’s slip-up away at Bournemouth confirms that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have finally been crowned Premier League champions, bringing to an end a long wait since their last title in 2004.

The slip-up by Manchester City during their visit to the Cherries confirmed Arsenal as Premier League champions for the 2025/26 season with one game left to play.

In doing so, Mikel Arteta’s side lifted the long-awaited trophy that had eluded them for so many years, winning silverware for the first time since their Community Shield triumph back in 2023.

However, the London side still have one final date with destiny before bringing the season to a close. On May 30th, Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskas Arena in Budapest in the UEFA Champions League final, with the opportunity to complete a historic double and win Europe’s most prestigious trophy for the first time in the club’s 139-year history.

The Gunners have now ended the domestic dominance established by Liverpool and Manchester City in recent years. Since Chelsea won the Premier League in the 2016/17 season, only the Reds and the Cityzens had managed to lift the trophy. Manchester City won an incredible six league titles in eight years, while Liverpool claimed the other two.

Fall down 1000 times, stand up 1001

If Arsenal’s Premier League triumph could be summarised in one word, it would undoubtedly be: resilience.

As Rocky Balboa famously said:

“It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

The Gunners transformed years of heartbreak into motivation and inspiration to finally become champions once again.

The North London side managed to recover from three consecutive runner-up finishes to finally break a curse that began during the 2022/23 campaign, when a devastating late collapse denied them the title.

That season, Mikel Arteta’s side spent 248 days at the top of the table and even opened up an eight-point lead over eventual champions Manchester City. However, William Saliba’s injury, several costly slip-ups and a crushing defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side saw Arsenal throw away the title.

History repeated itself the following season. Injuries, unexpected dropped points and the lack of a clinical No. 9 once again allowed Manchester City to edge past the Gunners during the decisive April-May run-in, a period in which the Cityzens often looked unbeatable.

Many Arsenal fans believed “this was finally the year” when the 2024/25 campaign began, especially after Manchester City endured an underwhelming season by their standards. However, Arne Slot’s arrival at Liverpool breathed fresh life into the Merseyside club, who produced an outstanding domestic campaign to become champions ahead of an Arsenal side once again plagued by injuries and mentally exhausted after consecutive heartbreaks.

Finally, after three straight years of falling agonisingly short at the finish line, the 2025/26 season will forever stand as a testament to resilience and perseverance, proving that persistence can eventually overcome even the most painful setbacks.

22-year wait over

Arsenal’s coronation as champions this season not only represents their 14th domestic league title, but also brings an end to a painful 22-year wait for supporters who last saw their club crowned Premier League champions during the legendary 2003/04 campaign.

That Arsenal side became immortalised as “The Invincibles” after winning the title unbeaten, recording 26 victories and 12 draws across a historic 38-game unbeaten league season — an achievement no English side has managed to replicate since.

From the iconic squad led by Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pirès and Sol Campbell, to Arteta’s modern Arsenal spearheaded by Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba among others, 22 long years have passed before the Gunners were finally able to lift the Premier League trophy once again.

Keys behind the title triumph

Arsenal not only proved themselves to be one of the best teams in England this season, but also evolved into a mature, mentally resilient side capable of surviving the relentless demands of a title race.

The biggest difference compared to previous seasons was their ability to remain composed during difficult moments. Rather than collapsing under pressure after dropping points, Arteta’s side consistently managed to grind out ugly but crucial victories that ultimately defined their title-winning campaign.

Their defensive solidity proved fundamental in the title race. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes established themselves as arguably the best centre-back partnership in Europe, combining the Frenchman’s composure, pace and ball progression with the Brazilian’s physical dominance and aggression.

Shielding the defence was a sublime Declan Rice, who became arguably the most indispensable player in the starting XI thanks to his ability to recover possession, lead the press and slow games down during tense moments.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard continued to perform at an elite level, evolving from exciting young stars into genuine Premier League superstars despite their relatively young age.

Meanwhile, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres added the extra edge Arsenal had been lacking in attack. The Swedish striker brought physicality, aggression and relentless movement in behind defences, while Eze’s intelligence, spatial awareness and ability to drag defenders out of position created constant chaos for opposing backlines.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make history after being included in Roberto Martinez’s final Portugal squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking what will be the forward’s sixth appearance at football’s biggest event.

The Portugal coach has named a 27-man group rather than the final 26 permitted for the tournament, meaning one player will still have to be cut before the definitive list is submitted.

All indications suggest the final omission will come from the goalkeeping department, with Martinez currently carrying an extra option in that position.

The Al Nassr striker once again headlines Portugal’s selection, extending a remarkable international career that has already spanned more than two decades.

Ronaldo will lead a squad that combines experienced figures such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo with a younger generation eager to establish themselves on the global stage.

Among the emerging talents included are Joao Neves and Goncalo Inacio as Portugal attempt to build a balanced squad capable of challenging for the trophy. 

There was also an emotional touch to the announcement as Martinez and the Portuguese federation paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota.

The forward was symbolically acknowledged through the “27+1” message used in the squad announcement across social media, ensuring his memory remained part of the occasion.

Portugal begin their tournament on 17 June against DR Congo before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia in the group stage. All eyes will once again be on Ronaldo as he looks to add another chapter to his extraordinary international legacy.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Ricardo Velho and Rui Silva

Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias and Tomas Araujo

Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samu Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva

Forwards: Joao Felix, Trincao, Francisco Conceicao, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao, Goncalo Guedes, Goncalo Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo

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Joao Pedro has been named Chelsea’s Men’s Player of the Season, receiving the club’s top individual honour just hours after suffering the disappointment of missing out on Brazil’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The award caps an impressive campaign at Stamford Bridge for the 24-year-old forward, who joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2025.

Joao Pedro established himself as one of the club’s most influential attacking players, scoring 15 Premier League goals in 34 appearances while also earning widespread praise for his overall contribution and consistency.

READ ALSO: 2026 World Cup: Ancelotti Announces Brazil’s Squad With Neymar Included

The announcement arrived amid growing frustration in Brazil following his omission from Carlo Ancelotti’s final national team selection.

Despite the setback, Joao Pedro responded with composure, insisting he remained focused and accepting that “joys and frustrations are part of football“.

The striker also wished the squad well ahead of the tournament, saying he would support Brazil “like any other fan” as they pursue a sixth world title.

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