Arsenal stand on the brink of history. Having just ended a two-decade wait for the Premier League title, Mikel Arteta’s side now prepares for a Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest. The achievement would complete a transformation from fallen giants to European royalty—and crucially, it would deliver the trophy that even Arsène Wenger’s legendary Invincibles could not secure. Twenty years after that heartbreak in Paris, the Gunners have a chance to rewrite their story.
The 2006 final remains a painful memory. Jens Lehmann’s 18th-minute red card for bringing down Samuel Eto’o forced Arsenal to play almost the entire match with ten men. Despite Sol Campbell’s looping header giving them the lead, Barcelona eventually broke through with two late goals. It was a cruel end for a squad that had set a Champions League record with ten consecutive clean sheets en route to the final, eliminating Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal along the way. That side, built around Thierry Henry, Cesc Fàbregas and Ashley Cole, had many of the Invincibles who went unbeaten in the 2003-04 Premier League season.
Arteta’s 2026 vintage carries its own air of inevitability. They dethroned Manchester City in the league through a blend of defensive steel and attacking flair. The central defensive partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel has drawn comparisons with the Premier League’s best, and their tally of clean sheets together is second only to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić since the turn of the millennium. But injury concerns cloud the buildup: Ben White is ruled out, while Jurriën Timber races to be fit to face Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Kai Havertz has spent much of the season sidelined but returned with a goal and an assist in recent games, offering a potential start. Martin Ødegaard, too, has battled injuries that have interrupted his rhythm, though his vision remains invaluable.
In goal, the contrast is stark. Lehmann was 36 in 2006, a World Cup finalist with Germany, but his rash moment in Paris cost his team dearly. David Raya, by contrast, has been a model of consistency, collecting his third consecutive Premier League Golden Glove with 19 clean sheets this term. Where Lehmann’s aggression occasionally spilled into recklessness, Raya’s calm distribution and shot-stopping provide a stable foundation. As one pundit might frame it, the 2026 team does not need to win in spite of its goalkeeper; it wins because of him.
The full-back slots offer fascinating debates. Ashley Cole is widely considered the Premier League’s greatest left-back, a key figure in two historic league campaigns for Arsenal and Chelsea. Arteta, however, has rotated between Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly—none yet matching Cole’s iconic status. On the right, Emmanuel Eboué’s cult hero status pales against the reliability of a fit Timber or the injured White. Yet Eboué was part of that miserly 2006 defense, and Kolo Touré—converted from midfield by Wenger—offered athleticism beside Campbell’s brute force.
Midfield is where the tactical evolution truly stands out. Wenger deployed five across the middle in 2006, with Gilberto Silva as the "invisible wall" shielding the back four. Fàbregas, then just 19, pulled the strings and earned a place in UEFA’s team of the year. Alexander Hleb and Robert Pires provided width, while Freddie Ljungberg supported Henry. Arteta’s 4-2-3-1 revolves around Declan Rice, whose engine and set-piece delivery have propelled the title charge—his expected assists from set-pieces lead the league. Alongside him, Martin Zubimendi or Lewis-Skelly can offer anchorage, while Ødegaard, when fit, unlocks defenses with passes no one else sees. Yet no one in the current crop matches Fàbregas’ final-third numbers: 111 assists and 50 goals across 350 league appearances for Arsenal and Chelsea.
Then there is the attack. Thierry Henry is the benchmark: 228 Arsenal goals, four Golden Boots, six consecutive PFA Team of the Year inclusions, and a joint-record 20 assists in a single season. Viktor Gyökeres, the 2026 frontman, has been transformative with 21 goals in all competitions, including five in Europe, but he operates in a different system. The Swedish striker benefits from a trio of creators: Bukayo Saka, an academy star and two-time player of the year; Eberechi Eze, who delivered Crystal Palace’s first major trophy before his move; and Leandro Trossard, whose six league assists lead the team. Havertz’s late-season return adds another dimension, but the focus remains on Gyökeres to deliver on the biggest stage.
What elevates this final beyond a simple trophy chase is the chance to answer a decade-old question: could Arteta’s meticulously built side outshine Wenger’s artistes? The 2006 team’s record clean sheets speak to a defensive resilience often overlooked in the shadow of Henry’s brilliance. The 2026 side, meanwhile, has married that solidity with a more structured press and devastating set-piece efficiency. Saliba and Gabriel might not have the Invincibles’ swagger, but their consistency arguably surpasses even Campbell and Touré’s peak.
For the fans, BBC Sport’s interactive selector crystallizes this debate: who would make a combined XI? Goalkeeper and left-back seem straightforward, but the centre-back pairing, midfield balance and the number nine role split opinion. Some might argue Cole edges the left, while Henry’s legacy makes him untouchable—yet Gyökeres’ modern dynamism and aerial threat cannot be dismissed.
As the teams prepare to walk out at the Puskás Aréna, the weight of history presses down. Arteta knows victory would immortalise him alongside Wenger as the only managers to bring Europe’s grandest prize to north London. For a club that has often been accused of falling short in the critical moments, Saturday offers more than a trophy—it offers vindication. The 2006 heartbreak can finally be consoled, and a new dynasty can be born.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.
