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| Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, celebrates victory following the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on May 07, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. |
It seems it’s not just the Arsenal players responsible for their current push towards the Premier League title. For all the praise heaped on key performers like Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the 2023/24 campaign, not to mention the growing reputation of manager Mikel Arteta, the influence of wives and girlfriends behind the scenes has now been hailed as a key factor in the Gunners fighting it out with Manchester City for a first top-flight crown in 20 years.
Indeed, the support the players are receiving from their loved ones was apparent at the Emirates this month when Arsenal hammered Chelsea 5-0. The delight of home fans were summed up aptly by Helene Spilling, the girlfriend of club captain Odegaard, who was filmed on social media celebrating joyously to the tune of Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’ song.
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Spilling is far from the only so-called ‘WAG’ to be regularly present at games though. Tolami Benson and Sophie Weber, the partners of Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz respectively, are also frequent spectators at games as are Milly White and Laura Trossard Hilven, the wives of Ben White and Leandro Trossard.
Rice's girlfriend Lauren Fryer and Aaron Ramsdale’s wife Georgina are also prominent figures within the group, the majority of who recently travelled to Munich to watch their loved ones in the ultimately disappointing second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter final. And according to the Daily Mail, the family ethos within the club is no coincidence after a conscious effort from Arteta to keep his stars relaxed and content.
In January, the Arsenal squad embarked on a two-week trip of Dubai, a jaunt that raised eyebrows given it came in the aftermath of their title challenge seemingly derailing after consecutive defeats to West Ham and Fulham. Those blows had been compounded by also being knocked out of the FA Cup by an under-strength Liverpool side.
Arteta allowed family members to travel with players to the Middle East, and oversaw group activities in an attempt to bond everyone together. Since their return, Arsenal have lost just once in the Premier League, a late home defeat to Aston Villa last month.
Sporting director Edu is also said to be behind Arteta’s ethos, with the Spaniard himself quoted as saying: “They need (the players) to build those friendships and those close circles around them.
