Speaking from Budapest ahead of the Champions League final, Theo Walcott delivered a confident prediction about his former teammate Mikel Arteta. 'I think he is just going to continue to dominate. I do,' Walcott told Sky Sports. Arsenal's long-awaited return to Europe's grandest stage has sparked a belief that the Gunners are on the verge of a new era.
A showdown with Paris Saint-Germain offers Arteta the chance to join an exclusive club. Only Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola have lifted both the Champions League and Premier League with an English team. A victory would place the Spaniard alongside those managerial titans and achieve what even Arsène Wenger, Bertie Mee, and George Graham could not.
Walcott, who shared a dressing room with Arteta from 2011 to 2016, credits his old teammate's relentless work ethic. He recalls how Arteta enforced strict habits and demanded high standards. 'He set the examples, and he was always so strict on good habits. Even when players didn't want to do something, he made sure you would,' Walcott said. That discipline has reshaped the club's mentality.
Arteta's early years were turbulent; back-to-back eighth-place finishes tested the club's patience. But the Arsenal hierarchy stood by him, a rarity in modern football. Walcott emphasized that the support was earned: 'A lot of managers do not get that time. The club have had that patience because his work justified it.' Slowly, he rebuilt the squad and instilled a winning mindset.
Perceptions of Arsenal are shifting in real time. Not long ago, the narrative focused on what would happen if Arteta fell short. Now, with a Premier League title already secured this season, they face PSG as equals. The fan festival in Heroes Square echoed with chants of set-piece prowess, and a young supporter confidently predicted a 1-0 victory from a Gabriel header.
The build-up featured a psychological edge from the PSG camp. Luis Enrique referred to Arteta as 'Mikelito,' a seeming term of endearment that many interpreted as belittling. It hinted at their shared past at Barcelona, where Arteta never broke into the first team. Yet, Arteta has already toppled Guardiola in the league; defeating Luis Enrique would further cement his rise.
Having witnessed Arsenal's decline after the 2006 final defeat to Barcelona, Walcott understands the magnitude of this transformation. When he left in 2018, the club was no longer a Champions League regular. The journey back to Europe's top table has been painful but purposeful, and Walcott now sees a squad capable of sustained success.
At the fan festival in Budapest, Walcott mimicked Viktor Gyökeres' celebration after scoring in a five-a-side game, delighting the crowd. On the microphone, he spoke of 'when, not if' Arsenal would clinch the trophy. The supporters' belief in Arteta's methods—especially their set-piece expertise—has become a trademark of this team.
Lifting the Champions League would validate Arteta's project and place him in an elite managerial bracket. He would become only the third man to achieve the European-English double, joining Ferguson and Guardiola. His transformation from a disciplined midfielder who never quite made it at Barcelona to a world-class coach would be complete.
As Arsenal stand on the brink of immortality, Walcott's words carry weight. Arteta has turned doubters into believers and built a machine that, in Walcott's view, is built to dominate for years. The final against PSG is not just a match; it's a potential coronation.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.