Mikel Arteta facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Arteta and the second or maternal family name is Amatriain.

Quick facts for kids
Mikel Arteta

Arteta in 2021

Personal information

Full name

Mikel Arteta Amatriain

Date of birth

26 March 1982 (age 43)

Place of birth

San Sebastián, Spain

Height

1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)

Position(s)

Midfielder

Team information

Current team

Arsenal (manager)

Youth career

1991–1997

Antiguoko

1997–1999

Barcelona

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

1999–2002

Barcelona B

(3)

2001–2002

→ Paris Saint-Germain (loan)

(2)

2002–2004

Rangers

(12)

2004–2005

Real Sociedad

(1)

2005

→ Everton (loan)

(1)

2005–2011

Everton

162

(27)

2011–2016

Arsenal

110

(14)

Total

427

(62)

International career

1998–1999

Spain U16

(4)

1999

Spain U17

(0)

1999–2001

Spain U18

(1)

2002–2003

Spain U21

(2)

Managerial career

2019–

Arsenal

Medal record

Men's football

Representing Spain
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Winner	1999 Czech Republic

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mikel Arteta Amatriain (born 26 March 1982) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the Premier League club Arsenal.

Arteta started his senior football career at Barcelona in 1999. He didn't play much there, so he moved on loan to Paris Saint-Germain in 2001. There, he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup. In 2002, Arteta joined Rangers in Scotland. He had a great first season, winning both the league and a cup.

After a short time back in Spain with Real Sociedad, Arteta joined Everton in 2005. He became a key player and was named the club's Player of the Season twice. In 2011, he moved to Arsenal. He won two FA Cups with them before he stopped playing in 2016. Arteta played for Spain's youth teams but never for the main national team.

After retiring as a player, Arteta became an assistant coach at Manchester City in 2016. He worked with famous coach Pep Guardiola. In 2019, he returned to Arsenal as their manager. In his first season, he led Arsenal to win the FA Cup.

Mikel Arteta: Football Star and Manager

Early Days as a Player

Mikel Arteta was born in San Sebastián, a city in the Basque Country of Spain. He started playing football at a young age for a club called Antiguoko. There, he became good friends with another future football star, Xabi Alonso. They often played football together on the beaches and dreamed of playing for their hometown club, Real Sociedad.

Starting Out at Barcelona

When he was 15, in July 1997, Arteta left San Sebastián. He went to try out for Barcelona's famous youth academy, La Masia. He and two teammates from Antiguoko all got professional contracts. Life at the academy was very strict. Arteta shared a room with future Barcelona legends Víctor Valdés and Andrés Iniesta. He also became friends with Xavi Hernandez. During this time, Arteta met Pep Guardiola, who was Barcelona's captain and would later become his coaching mentor.

Arteta trained with Barcelona's main team often. However, he mostly played for Barcelona B, their reserve team. It was hard to get into the main team because there were many talented midfielders like Guardiola, Xavi, and Iniesta. Arteta soon realized his future might not be with Barcelona.

Loan Spell in Paris

In the middle of the 2000-01 season, Arteta moved to the French club Paris Saint-Germain on an 18-month loan. He joined a team with many famous players, including Mauricio Pochettino and Ronaldinho. Arteta made his first senior appearance in February 2001 in a cup game. He scored his first goal for PSG in May 2001.

During his second season with PSG, Arteta helped them win the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup. He played 53 games for PSG and scored five goals in total. PSG wanted to keep him, but he returned to Barcelona after his loan ended.

Success in Scotland with Rangers

In March 2002, Arteta signed with the Scottish club Rangers in a £6 million deal. He quickly became a regular player and had a great first season in Glasgow. He scored in his first "Old Firm" derby game against rivals Celtic. On the last day of the 2002-03 season, he scored a crucial penalty kick in the 93rd minute. This goal helped Rangers win the league title by a small difference in goals. They also won the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup, completing a "domestic treble" (winning three main trophies in one country).

Arteta started his second season with Rangers by scoring six goals in the first six games. Rangers qualified for the Champions League group stages. After two seasons in Scotland, Arteta returned to Spain. He later said that playing in Scotland helped him become a stronger player, which was important for the English Premier League.

Back to Spain: Real Sociedad

In 2004, Arteta joined Real Sociedad for €5.2 million. The idea was for him to play alongside his childhood friend Xabi Alonso. However, Alonso left for Liverpool, and Arteta struggled to find his place in the team. He only started three league matches in the half-season he spent back in his hometown.

Becoming an Everton Hero

Arteta playing for Everton in 2011

Everton manager David Moyes signed Arteta in January 2005, first on loan, then permanently. Arteta played a big part in helping Everton finish fourth in the Premier League, which meant they could try to qualify for the Champions League. He scored his first Everton goal in a 4-0 win against Crystal Palace. In July 2005, he signed a permanent five-year deal for £2 million.

In the 2005–06 season, Arteta won both the Everton Player of the Season and the Players' Player of the Season awards. He continued his excellent form in 2006-07, scoring nine goals in 35 league games. He won the Player of the Season award for the second year in a row. He was also voted the Premier League's 'Midfielder of the Year' by Sky Sports viewers.

Arteta's creative play was very important for Everton's attacks. He helped Everton get a spot in the UEFA Cup. In the summer of 2007, he signed a new five-year contract. He also won the North West Footballer of the Year award in 2007-08.

In February 2009, Arteta suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for the rest of that season and the start of the next. He returned in January 2010 and scored two goals in a 5-1 win against Hull City. In August 2010, he signed another five-year contract extension with Everton. When he left Everton, Arteta said he had done his best for the club.

Arsenal Player: Captain and Cup Winner

Arteta playing for Arsenal in 2012

Arteta signed for Arsenal on 31 August 2011 for about £10 million. He made his debut on 10 September in a 1-0 win against Swansea City. He scored his first Premier League goal for Arsenal in a 4-3 loss to Blackburn Rovers. Arteta became a captain for Arsenal in an FA Cup game against Leeds United. He played 29 games in his first season, scoring 6 goals.

After captain Robin van Persie left, Arteta became Arsenal's vice-captain for the 2012-13 season. He helped the team finish in the top four for the 17th year in a row. In the 2014 FA Cup final, Arteta captained the team to a 3-2 win against Hull City. This was his first major trophy in English football.

Arteta became Arsenal's club captain for the 2014-15 season. He won his first trophy as full-time captain when Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the 2014 FA Community Shield. His last game for Arsenal was on the final day of the 2015-16 season. He received a standing ovation from the fans.

Playing for Spain's Youth Teams

Arteta played for Spain at different youth levels. He was part of the team that won the 1999 UEFA European Under-16 Championship. He also captained the under-21 team in 2004.

In 2010, there was talk that he might be able to play for England because he had lived there for five years. However, FIFA (the world football body) said he couldn't. Arteta later said he "almost went to war with FIFA" over this rule.

Arteta was often considered one of the best players of his time not to play for Spain's main national team. This was because Spain had many incredibly talented players in his position, like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xabi Alonso.

How Arteta Played the Game

Arteta taking a corner kick for Arsenal in 2011

Arteta started in the Barcelona youth system as a "number 10" (an attacking midfielder). Later, he moved to a deeper role as a "pivot" or defensive midfielder. People thought he played like Pep Guardiola. He was known for his technique, skill, vision, and passing. He was also very good at understanding tactics.

In the 2006-07 season, he had 12 assists in the league, which was one of the highest numbers. He was also the most fouled player in the Premier League that season.

From Player to Coach: Manchester City

After retiring as a player, Arteta had a few options. He could lead Arsenal's youth academy or join Mauricio Pochettino's coaching staff at Tottenham Hotspur. Instead, he chose to join Pep Guardiola's coaching team at Manchester City. On 3 July 2016, Arteta became an assistant coach at Manchester City.

Guardiola and Arteta first met at the Barcelona academy. Guardiola was much older and already in the first team, but they stayed in touch. Guardiola believed Arteta would be a good coach. At Manchester City, Arteta helped the team win two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and two EFL Cups.

Leading Arsenal: Managerial Journey

First Trophies and Challenges (2019-2022)

On 20 December 2019, Arteta was appointed head coach at his former club Arsenal. He signed a deal until 2023. He said he wanted players to take responsibility and bring passion to the club. On 26 December 2019, Arteta managed his first Arsenal game, which was a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth. He got his first win on 1 January 2020, a 2-0 victory over Manchester United.

On 18 July 2020, Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-0 in the FA Cup semi-final. Arsenal then won the final 2-1 against Chelsea. This was Arsenal's 14th FA Cup win, a record! Arteta became the first person to win the FA Cup as both a captain and a coach for Arsenal. He was also the first manager since George Graham in 1986-87 to win a major trophy in his first season.

Before the 2020-21 season, Arteta won his second trophy as manager. Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties in the 2020 FA Community Shield. In September, his job title changed from head coach to manager, showing he had more responsibility.

In January 2021, Arsenal was knocked out of the FA Cup. In March 2021, Arteta won his first "North London derby" against Tottenham. In the Europa League, Arsenal reached the semi-finals but lost. Arsenal finished 8th in the Premier League, ending a 25-year run of playing in European competitions.

In August 2021, Arsenal started the season with three losses. However, they won all their league games in September, and Arteta won his first Manager of the Month award. In May 2022, Arteta extended his contract until 2025. Arsenal finished 5th in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

Chasing the League Title (2022-2024)

Arsenal started the 2022-23 season very well. On 5 August 2022, they won 2-0 against Crystal Palace. This was Arteta's 50th league win as Arsenal boss. They won their first five games, which was the first time Arsenal had done that since the 2004-05 season. Arteta won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for August.

On 16 October 2022, Arsenal beat Leeds United 1-0. This was the club's best start to a top-flight season ever, winning nine of their first ten league games. Arsenal were four points clear at the top of the Premier League. By November, Arteta had won his fourth Manager of the Month award.

On 22 January 2023, Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-2 at home. This put them five points clear at the top of the league. Arsenal had 50 points from 19 games, their best start to a top-flight season. Arteta won his fifth Manager of the Month award in January.

On 12 March, Arsenal beat Fulham 3-0. This was Arteta's 100th win in 168 games as Arsenal manager, giving him the best win percentage of any Arsenal manager. He also won the Manager of the Year award at the 2023 London Football Awards.

However, injuries to key players affected Arsenal's form. They had three draws and a loss, which allowed Manchester City to take the lead. By 20 May, Arsenal could no longer win the title, finishing second. But this meant Arsenal qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in six years.

Arsenal started the 2023-24 season by winning the 2023 FA Community Shield against Manchester City. This was Arteta's third trophy as Arsenal manager. On 8 October, Arsenal beat Manchester City 1-0 in the league, ending a long losing streak against them. On 25 November, Arteta managed his 200th game for Arsenal. They won 1-0 against Brentford, taking the top spot in the Premier League.

On 29 November, Arteta led Arsenal to the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2016-17. They won their group with a 6-0 win over Lens. Arteta won another Manager of the Month award in February 2024. Arsenal reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2009-10. On 12 May 2024, Arsenal beat Manchester United 1-0 away. This gave them 27 wins in the season, a new club record for a 38-game season. On 12 September 2024, Arteta signed a new three-year contract to stay as Arsenal manager.

Mikel's Life Off the Pitch

Mikel Arteta was born in San Sebastián, Spain. He can speak many languages, including Spanish, Basque, Catalan, and English. He also speaks French, Italian, and Portuguese.

He is married to Lorena Bernal, an Argentine-Spanish actress and model. They have three children: Gabriel (born 2009), Daniel (born 2012), and Oliver (born 2015).

Achievements and Awards

Player

Paris Saint-Germain

UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001

Rangers

Scottish Premier League: 2002–03
Scottish League Cup: 2002–03

Arsenal

FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15
FA Community Shield: 2014, 2015

Spain U16

UEFA European Under-16 Championship: 1999

Spain U18

UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup: 1999

Individual

Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month: September 2002, August 2003
Everton Player of the Season: 2005–06, 2006–07
Everton Players' Player of the Season: 2005–06

Manager