The Arsenal players displayed the Premier League trophy as their bus turned onto Holloway Road at the start of their victory parade in north London. The event drew hundreds of thousands of fans who lined the streets to celebrate the club's league triumph.
Champions League Anguish Set Aside
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães admitted that the Champions League penalty shootout defeat was “painful,” but the Gunners quickly set aside the disappointment as supporters gathered in north London for an open-top bus parade. Gabriel missed the crucial spot-kick against Paris Saint-Germain, as the French champions retained their crown following a 1-1 draw in Budapest. However, Arsenal still had plenty to celebrate as they embarked on a parade through their local streets to mark the Premier League title success they secured earlier this month.
“It’s painful, but I’m proud of this team and everything we achieved together this season,” Gabriel wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to our incredible fans for your support every step of the way. You deserve to celebrate this journey with us and enjoy the parade today! See you next season!”
Parade Details and Atmosphere
Mikel Arteta’s squad left the Emirates Stadium at 2:15 PM to begin their 5.6-mile journey along the parade route. Team captain Martin Ødegaard was the first player to board the bus, which was adorned with “Champions 25/26,” holding the Premier League trophy. Gabriel and Eberechi Eze, both of whom missed penalties in the Budapest shootout, appeared in good spirits on the bus despite the disappointment of the previous night. Arteta smiled broadly as he waved to the crowds. Members of the Arsenal staff followed on a second bus, while the women’s team rode on a third bus, parading the Fifa Champions Cup they won in February.
Fans began arriving along the route in the early hours of Sunday morning, with hundreds of thousands expected in total. The owners of a cafe on Holloway Road said it was “almost surreal” to have the bus parade passing by. Seb Olid, a part owner of Coffee Zee, who was in the area when Arsenal last won the league in 2004, noted that this parade surpassed the previous one. “It’s the most insane I have ever seen it. I was here in 2004 and it was nothing like this,” he said.
Arteta’s players had departed their hotel in Budapest a few hours earlier in defeat, with the Arsenal manager vowing to use the setback as “fuel” to carry them to glory next season.
Young Star’s Perspective
Myles Lewis-Skelly was not even born the last time Arsenal won the title in 2004. The 19-year-old, who started the Champions League final in midfield, told Sky Sports: “First of all, I’m so proud of the boys. I’m proud of the organisation in helping us get here because it hasn’t been an easy season. But obviously we’ve come to the end of the season and we’re champions of England. It’s disappointing because when you’re so close to a dream, a goal, you feel slightly short but as Mikel said, it’s added fuel to the fire, so we’ll use that. It means everything, just to share this moment with our people. It’s incredible because it’s a chance to pay them back for all the sacrifices they’ve helped us through. Just sharing this moment together will be special. I’m going to see my family here as well. It’s going to be emotional, so I’m so excited. The last two weeks have been incredible. Just sharing those moments with the team, the people that you love dearly, that you go to war with. It’s amazing. For me, [the future] is bright. I feel like it’s the start of a new era and I feel like we’re ready to go and achieve our dreams. [Arteta] has been so supportive of me over my whole journey, so I’m just so grateful for him and the trust he’s given me.” Asked for a message for the fans, Lewis-Skelly added: “Thank you, and we’re not done!”
