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The biggest Arsenal legends of all time have all contributed to their high status among European clubs. The Gunners are the most decorated team in London and have won the most FA Cups in history. The current Arsenal team has big names such as Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Declan Rice, but before them, there were several stars that went on to achieve legendary status due to their immense contribution to the club. In this article, we take a look at the top ten Arsenal legends of all time.
As of 2023, Arsenal have won 13 league titles, 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, 17 FA Community Shields, the Football League Centenary Trophy, one European Cup Winners' Cup, and one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
The Gunners are the only team to have won the Premier League without losing a game all season, earning their 2003–04 side the title of “the invincibles”. The North London-based club are also the record FA Cup holders and are the third-most successful club in English football in terms of trophies won.
Top ten Arsenal legends of all time
10. Pat Jennings (1977–1984)
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The Irish goalkeeper is one of the few players to cross the North London divide successfully. After 13 years at Tottenham, Jennings moved to Arsenal, where he spent eight years and made 327 appearances for the Gunners. The Irishman remains one of the few players that remains adored at both White Hart Lane and Emirates Stadium.
Jennings is one of the best goalkeepers football has witnessed, and he had a 22-year international career with Northern Ireland, earning a record 119 caps. He played more than 1,000 games at the highest level, won five major trophies, earned an MBE and an OBE, and also scored a goal in the 1967 Charity Shield.
9. Charlie George (1969–1975)
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Charlie George’s thunderous 20-yard drive in the 1971 FA Cup final sealed a first double for Arsenal, earning him legendary status at a club he supported as a boy. Growing up deep in the Highbury heartland, Charlie is one of the few who are lucky and talented enough to play for their childhood club. His ability to carve defenses open in a non-chalant way made him a favorite among the fans. Although injuries affected the potential heights he could have attained, he did enough to earn him legendary status at the club.
8. Liam Brady (1973-1980)
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A creative and intelligent midfielder, Brady was one of Arsenal's most influential players in the 1970s. He helped the club win the FA Cup in 1978–79, winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award that season. Nicknamed ‘Chippy’, Brady’s ability has been evident since the moment he joined the Gunners on schoolboy forms in 1970, and his performances during his time in London put him on this list of the club's greatest ever players.
7. David Seaman (1990-2003)
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Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in English history, Seaman lived up to expectations during his time at Arsenal. Bought for £1.3 million, a British record for a goalkeeper at the time, the retired England international became an era-defining signing. Seaman had a total of 564 appearances during his 13-year stay at the club, winning eight major trophies, including three league titles (two in the Premier League era) and four FA Cups.
6. Robert Pires (2000-2006)
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An integral part of the famous ‘invincibles’, Pires’ time at Arsenal earned him a lot of admirers both inside and outside the club. He memerized opposition defenders with his skill and movement as he flew on the left wing in his iconic number 7 jersey.
Although Pires left Arsenal disgruntled over the fact that he did not see himself as a starter anymore at the time, the level of love the fans had for him never reduced, and vice versa. His combination on the left with Ashley Cole and Thierry Henry was one of the most feared in England and Europe, with the trio registering 57 goals between them in the 2003–04 season.
5. Patrick Vieira (1996-2005)
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Vieira was relatively unknown when he arrived at the Gunners alongside Arsene Wenger. However, he would go on to be the leader of a great era in the club's history, winning three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, including two doubles.
The lanky midfielder was named Premier League Player of the Season in 2001 and was in the PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive years between 1999 and 2004. After retirement, he went on to become a manager, and he currently manages Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
4. Ian Wright (1991-1998)
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Wright is loved by Arsenal fans for the passion he shows towards the club as a pundit, but the love story began many years ago when he joined the Gunners from Crystal Palace. Wrighty joined Arsenal in September 1991 for a club record of £2.5 million, a move that raised eyebrows, but he would later prove to be one of the best signings in the club’s history.
Wright went on to become Arsenal’s record goalscorer, scoring 185 goals within seven years at the club, before Thierry Henry broke the record in 2005.
He won five trophies with the Gunners, including a double in 1997–98 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1993–94.
3. Tony Adams (1983-2002)
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Nicknamed 'Mr. Arsenal', Adams spent his entire career at the club and was captain for 14 years. He recorded 669 appearances and won 10 major trophies, including league titles, in three different decades.
The English defender appeared 68 times for the England national team, captaining the side at some point as well. Although Adams revealed at some point that he struggled with alcoholism, he found a way to overcome the addiction thanks to his determination and the arrival of Arsene Wenger, who also played a vital role in his revival.
2. Dennis Bergkamp (1995-2006)
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Bergkamp was a joy to watch on the pitch, and he left his mark in the hearts of many Gunners and football lovers. His touches, movements, and catalogue of great goals attest to how much of a supreme footballer he was. Playing as an attacking midfielder or in a front two, he formed a partnership with several forwards during his time with the Gunners, and it always appeared telepathic.
Bergkamp was inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame in September 2007, becoming the first Dutchman to achieve this. He was nicknamed the 'Non-Flying Dutchman' by Arsenal fans as he had a phobia for flying.
1. Thierry Henry (1999-2006, 2012)
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When you think of Henry, you think of speed, strength, skill, goals, assists, and the ability to make footballers around him look like kids. The Frenchman was everything you wanted in a forward, and he has a catalog of great moments that you might struggle to pick the best.
Henry arrived at Arsenal as a young winger trying to find his feet, and he left as one of the greatest strikers of all time.
The goal machine went on to become Arsenal’s record top scorer with 228 goals and also became the first player in history to score 20 goals and record 20 assists in a single season in one of Europe's top-five leagues in 2002–03.
Henry won five trophies with Arsenal, including a double in 2001–02, and led the Gunners to their first-ever UEFA Champions League final in 2005–06. Henry spearheaded the Arsenal 'Invincibles' and made it to the FIFA World Best and Ball d'Or podium multiple times.
The striker won the Premier League golden boot four times and was named the Premier Player of the season twice. He also holds the record for the most assists in a Premier League season, with 20 in 2002–03.
Arsenal have produced a lot of legends and have a list of 50 Gunners Greatest Players on their website that was determined by votes from tens of thousands of Arsenal fans from across the world. Some of these players have gone on to become managers and pundits across the world.
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