After 22 years of near misses, broken expectations, and relentless waiting, Arsenal Football Club has finally reclaimed the English Premier League title, outlasting defending champion Manchester City to seal soccer’s most coveted domestic trophy late Tuesday.
The long-awaited victory drew an immediate, jubilant reaction from one high-profile lifelong Arsenal supporter: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who stepped away from a spiraling domestic political crisis to share his joy with the public. Taking to social platform X shortly after the title was confirmed, Starmer wrote, “22 long years for the Arsenal. But finally, we’re back where we belong. Champions!”
For Starmer, the moment of celebration comes at a rare bright spot amid mounting pressure on his leadership. His Labour Party suffered devastating losses in May 7 local and regional elections, leaving his grip on power hanging by a thread. Dozens of Labour parliamentarians have publicly called for his resignation, one senior cabinet member has already stepped down, and popular potential challenger Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is preparing a leadership bid by contesting a parliamentary seat. In a neat twist of fate, the result that brought Starmer joy saw his home city’s Arsenal defeat Burnham’s region’s powerhouse Manchester City to the crown.
The newly crowned champions did not hold back in their celebrations, with the party stretching long into the London night and through to early dawn. Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze shared behind-the-scenes photos of the festivities on his personal Instagram account as late as 5 a.m. local time. One image in particular drew wide attention: it shows Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard leaning back with an Arsenal-branded bottle held between his lips, a playful jab at critics who have labeled the squad “bottlers” — British slang for teams that crumble under high pressure. The dig hits close to home: Arsenal finished as league runners-up for three consecutive seasons and had not won a major trophy since 2020, leading to widespread claims they could not deliver when it mattered most.
Social media platforms were flooded with amateur footage of the jubilant squad, including star players Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber, wandering the grounds of their home ground, the Emirates Stadium, as the sun rose over London on Wednesday morning.
The official trophy lift is scheduled for Sunday, after Arsenal’s final league match of the season away to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.