With the upcoming World Cup having football fans already in the mood, this is the perfect time to look back in history and remember some of the legends who excelled in this international tournament while officially being the members of Arsenal. There is no shortage of candidate, as a number of Gunners showed up at various World Cups and achieved great success playing for their home nations.
As you prepare to bet World Cup 2026 matches, we bring back memories of some of the biggest names the local fans hold dear that once basked in World Cup glory.
George Eastham
The only Arsenal player on this list to represent England at a World Cup, Eastham was a part of the team that won the last trophy for the country in 1966. His role on the championship team was minimal, and he failed to appear on the pitch for the duration of the tournament. At the time, he was at a tail end of his Arsenal tenure which started six years previously and included more than 200 appearances and 40 goals. Playing as an inside forward, Eastham was a valuable contributor to the team’s attack and was even named a captain from 1963-66.
Patrick Vieira & Emanuel Petit
The French dynamic duo made it all the way to the top of the world in 1998, winning the trophy on home soil. Of course, Vieira spent nearly a decade in Arsenal while Petit only joined him for 3 seasons, but at the time of the tournament they were both an important part of the club’s talent pool. Petit ended up being the hero of the tournament and scoring the final goal in the surprising 3-0 victory against Brazil in the finals. Meanwhile, Vieira came on as a substitute during this momentous match and was on the pitch when the final whistle sounded and the celebration began.
Thierry Henry
In 2006, Henry wasn’t as fortunate as his countrymen were eight years prior, but he still managed to leave his mark. France made it all the way to the finals, but lost to Italy in dramatic fashion after going through an overtime and a penalty shootout. Legendary forward with more than 250 Arsenal appearances to his name was on the pitch for the first 107 minutes of that final, but was subbed out before the shootout. Henry scored 3 goals during the 2006 World Cup, and was instrumental in the team’s run to the medal rounds.
Cesc Fabregas
Four years later, it was time for another long-time Gunner to lift the trophy. Cesc Fabregas already had high standing with the club when he helped Spain to win its first even World Cup in 2010, serving as the captain the previous two years. At the tournament, Fabregas wasn’t a part of the starting eleven but appeared in multiple matches as a substitute including in the Finals against the Netherlands when he assisted on the deciding goal. That’s certainly one of the most iconic Arsenal-related moments in the history of the World Cup.
Podolski – Ozil – Mertesacker
The roster of World Cup winners with Arsenal ties suddenly got much deeper in 2010 when a trio of its internationals won for Germany. Lucas Podolski, who spent three seasons in Arsenal, made a couple of appearances off the bench in the last World Cup of his career. Mesut Ozil was one of the most important players and appeared in every match, scoring a goal in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Per Mertesacker was a pillar of the stout German defence that made the run possible. With this in mind, the 2014 World Cup was certainly a triumph for Gunners fans.
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