The 34-year-old goalkeeper came up through Arsenal’s renowned Hale End academy, making 181 appearances and winning two FA Cups. His breakthrough season was the 2010/11 campaign, during which he seized the opportunity to become the Gunners’ No. 1 due to injuries to Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski.
Although he was partly responsible for Obafemi Martins’ dramatic winner in the League Cup final in February 2011, Szczesny quickly won over the Arsenal fans. Recently joining Barcelona until the end of the season, he made headlines by taking down Gareth Bale twice in a thrilling north London derby.
Szczesny’s first derby against Tottenham took place in April 2011, leaving a lasting impression on both the fans and Bale. The match, which ended in a 3-3 draw, featured two memorable incidents in the first half.
The first came in the 37th minute when Bale attempted to reach a bouncing ball in the box. Szczesny charged out to claim it, unintentionally leaving Bale in a heap after making contact and elbowing him upon landing. This incident required a stoppage for medical attention for Bale.
The second moment became iconic for Arsenal supporters. As Bale looked to score, Szczesny brilliantly intervened, sprinting to palm away a floated pass from Rafael van der Vaart just as Bale was about to shoot. The collision sent Bale somersaulting over Szczesny, landing on his head and prompting loud penalty appeals from Spurs fans. After the play, Szczesny calmly walked back to his goal, flashing a cheeky smile and wink at teammate Johan Djourou, solidifying his status as an Arsenal cult hero.
Despite sustaining an accidental hit from Bale during their encounters, it was the Welshman who came off worse. Medical staff attended to Bale twice, and although a stretcher was brought on, he managed to walk off after the half-time whistle, only to miss the second half as Arsenal struggled to maintain their lead.
Szczesny continued to rile up Spurs fans long after that match, using social media to taunt them. After Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham in September 2013, he shared a video of himself playing the piano to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” a popular Spurs chant. Even during his loan at Roma in 2016, he mocked Tottenham after their 5-1 defeat at Newcastle, celebrating Arsenal finishing above their rivals for the 21st consecutive season.
After leaving Arsenal for Juventus in 2017, he couldn’t resist poking fun at Spurs. Following Juventus’ victory over Tottenham in the Champions League in 2018, he gestured to the fans to “keep their chins up” and posted “North London is Red” on social media.
While Szczesny may not have fully realized his potential at Arsenal, he remains a beloved figure. His journey proves that while you can take the man out of Arsenal, you can never take the Arsenal out of the man.
