Mikel Arteta facts for kids
.png)
Arteta in 2021
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mikel Arteta Amatriain | ||
| Date of birth | 26 March 1982 | ||
| 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 | 42 | (3) |
| 2001–2002 | → Paris Saint-Germain (loan) | 31 | (2) |
| 2002–2004 | Rangers | 50 | (12) |
| 2004–2005 | Real Sociedad | 15 | (1) |
| 2005 | → Everton (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2005–2011 | Everton | 162 | (27) |
| 2011–2016 | Arsenal | 110 | (14) |
| Total | 427 | (62) | |
| International career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Spain U16 | 10 | (4) |
| 1999 | Spain U17 | 7 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Spain U18 | 13 | (1) |
| 2002–2003 | Spain U21 | 12 | (2) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019– | Arsenal | ||
| *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 Arsenal football club.
Arteta started his senior club career at Barcelona in 1999. He later played for Paris Saint-Germain on loan, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup. In 2002, he joined Rangers and helped them win the league and league cup in his first season. After a short time at Real Sociedad, Arteta moved to Everton in 2005. He was named Everton's Player of the Season twice. In 2011, he joined Arsenal and won two FA Cups 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 returned to Arsenal as manager in 2019. In his first season as manager, he won the FA Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting His Football Journey
Mikel Arteta was born in San Sebastián, a city in the Basque Country of Spain. He began his football journey at a club called Antiguoko. There, he became good friends with another midfielder, Xabi Alonso. They often played football together on the beaches and streets of San Sebastián.
In July 1997, when he was 15, Arteta left San Sebastián to try out for Barcelona's famous youth academy, La Masia. He and two teammates from Antiguoko earned professional contracts. Life at the academy was very strict. Arteta became roommates and friends with future Barcelona stars like Víctor Valdés and Andrés Iniesta. He also met Xavi Hernandez and Pep Guardiola, who would later become his coaching mentor.
Arteta trained with Barcelona's main team but mostly played for their B team. With many talented midfielders at Barcelona, it was hard for him to get a spot in the first team.
Loan to Paris Saint-Germain
In 2001, Arteta went on an 18-month loan to the French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He joined a team with famous players like Mauricio Pochettino and Nicolas Anelka. Later, Ronaldinho also joined PSG.
Arteta made his first senior appearance for PSG in February 2001. He played as a playmaker and scored his first goal in May 2001. In his second season with PSG, he helped them win the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup. He played 53 games for PSG and scored five goals. PSG wanted to keep him, but he returned to Barcelona after his loan ended.
Success with Rangers
In March 2002, Arteta signed with the Scottish club Rangers for £6 million. He quickly became a key player. 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. This helped Rangers win the domestic treble, which means they won the Scottish Premier League title, the Scottish Cup, and the Scottish League Cup all in one season.
Arteta started his second season at Rangers by scoring six goals in the first six games. Rangers qualified for the Champions League group stages. He left Rangers after two seasons. He later said that playing in Scotland helped him become a stronger player.
Brief Time at Real Sociedad
In 2004, Arteta moved back to Spain to join Real Sociedad. The idea was for him to play alongside his childhood friend Xabi Alonso. However, Alonso left for Liverpool, and Arteta struggled to find a regular spot in the team. He only started three league games during his half-season there.
Becoming a Star at Everton
In January 2005, Everton manager David Moyes signed Arteta on loan. He was brought in to replace Thomas Gravesen. Arteta played a big part in helping Everton finish fourth in the Premier League, which gave them a chance 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 with Everton for £2 million.
Arteta had a fantastic 2005–06 season. He won both the Everton Player of the Season award and the Players' Player of the Season award. He continued his great 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 2007, he signed a new five-year contract. He also won the North West Footballer of the Year award in 2008.
In February 2009, Arteta suffered a knee ligament injury that kept him out for the rest of the season and the start of the next. He returned in January 2010. In August 2010, he signed another five-year contract extension with Everton.
Arteta left Everton in 2011, saying he was 29 and needed to take a new chance. He later said that the team spirit at Everton was the "best in football."
Joining Arsenal as a Player
On 31 August 2011, Arteta signed a four-year deal with Arsenal 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.
After 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 Arsenal to a 3–2 win against Hull City, winning 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. He signed a one-year contract extension for the 2015–16 season. His last game for Arsenal was on the final day of that season, where he received a standing ovation from the fans.
International Career for Spain
Arteta played for Spain at various 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.
There were talks in 2010 about him possibly playing for England because he had lived there for five years. However, FIFA ruled that he could not, as he had already played for Spain's youth teams in official competitions.
Arteta was often considered one of the best players of his time not to play for Spain's senior national team. This was mainly because Spain had many incredibly talented midfielders during that period, such as Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xabi Alonso.
Arteta's Playing Style
Arteta started as an attacking midfielder in Barcelona's youth system. He later moved to a deeper role, playing as a defensive midfielder. He was known for his excellent technique, skill, vision, and passing ability. He was also very aware of the game and tactically smart. In the 2006–07 season, he was ranked as one of the most effective players in the Premier League. He was also the most fouled player in the league that season, showing how much opponents struggled to stop him.
Coaching and Managerial Career
Learning at Manchester City
After retiring as a player, Arteta had several options. He chose to join Pep Guardiola's coaching team at Manchester City on 3 July 2016. Guardiola and Arteta had known each other since Arteta's time at Barcelona's academy.
Arteta helped Manchester City win two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and two EFL Cups. In 2018, he was considered for the manager's job at Arsenal but Unai Emery was chosen instead.
Returning to Arsenal as Manager
Early Years and FA Cup Win
On 20 December 2019, Mikel 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 show passion.
Arteta's first game as Arsenal manager was on 26 December 2019, 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, making it their 14th FA Cup victory. This made Arteta the first person to win the FA Cup as both a captain and a coach for Arsenal. He was also the first manager to win a major trophy in his first season at the club since George Graham in 1986–87.
On 29 August 2020, Arteta won his second trophy as manager when Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties in the FA Community Shield. In September, his role was changed from head coach to manager, giving him more responsibility at the club.
In the Europa League, Arteta led Arsenal to the semi-finals, where they lost to Villarreal. Arsenal finished 8th in the Premier League that season, ending their 25-year run of playing in European competitions.
The 2021–22 Premier League season started tough for Arsenal with three losses. However, they improved and won all their league games in September, earning Arteta his first Premier League Manager of the Month award. In May 2022, he extended his contract until the end of the 2024–25 season. Arsenal finished 5th in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
Challenging for the Title and Champions League Return
Arsenal started their 2022–23 season strongly. On 5 August 2022, Arteta earned his 50th league win as Arsenal boss, becoming the second-quickest manager to reach this milestone for the club after Arsène Wenger. By the end of August, Arsenal had won their first five league games, a feat only achieved four times in the club's history. Arteta won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for August.
By October 2022, Arsenal had won nine of their first ten league games, their best start ever in the top flight. This put them four points clear at the top of the Premier League. In November, Arteta won his second Manager of the Month award of the season.
In January 2023, Arsenal had 50 points from 19 games, their best start to a top-flight season. Arteta won his third Manager of the Month award for January, becoming the first Arsenal manager to win it three times in one season.
On 12 March, Arteta achieved his 100th win in charge of Arsenal in his 168th game, giving him the best win percentage of any Arsenal manager. He was also named Manager of the Year at the 2023 London Football Awards. However, injuries to key players and a dip in form saw Arsenal's title challenge fade. They finished second in the league, with Manchester City winning the title. Despite this, Arteta guided Arsenal to a UEFA Champions League qualification spot for the first time in six years.
The 2023–24 season began with Arsenal winning the 2023 FA Community Shield against Manchester City, Arteta's third trophy as manager. On 8 October, Arsenal defeated Manchester City 1–0 in the Premier League, ending a long losing streak against them. In November, Arteta's 200th game as Arsenal manager saw them win 1–0 against Brentford, taking them to the top of the Premier League. On 29 November, Arsenal reached the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2016–17. Arteta won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for February 2024. Arsenal reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2009–10. They finished second in the league for the second season in a row, just two points behind Manchester City.
On 12 September 2024, Arteta extended his contract to remain Arsenal manager for three more years.
Arteta's Management Style
As a manager, Arteta has been influenced by his time playing under Arsène Wenger and working as an assistant to Pep Guardiola. He also uses ideas from his time at the Barcelona youth academy and even from José Mourinho.
Arteta's teams at Arsenal often use a 4–3–3 or 4–3–2–1 formation. His teams try to control games by keeping the ball and passing creatively. They often build plays from deep in their own half. When defending, his teams are strong and can press high up the field or defend deeply. They are also good at scoring from set-pieces (like corner kicks or free kicks).
While Arteta has been praised for his managing skills, some critics have said his style can be too strict. Others have questioned his ability to handle pressure on his players or bring more success to the club.
Personal Life
Mikel Arteta was born on 26 March 1982 in San Sebastián, Spain. He can speak many languages, including Spanish, Basque, Catalan, English, 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).
Playing statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B | 1999–2000 | Segunda División B | 26 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 1 | ||||
| 2000–01 | Segunda División B | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 42 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 42 | 3 | ||||||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2000–01 | French Division 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |
| 2001–02 | French Division 1 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | — | 42 | 4 | ||
| Total | 31 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 1 | — | 53 | 5 | |||
| Rangers | 2002–03 | Scottish Premier League | 27 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 5 | |
| 2003–04 | Scottish Premier League | 23 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 33 | 9 | ||
| Total | 50 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 68 | 14 | |||
| Real Sociedad | 2004–05 | La Liga | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| Everton | 2004–05 | Premier League | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 37 | 3 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 9 | |||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | — | 37 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 26 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 7 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 13 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 3 | |||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 2 | |||
| Total | 174 | 28 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 4 | — | 209 | 35 | |||
| Arsenal | 2011–12 | Premier League | 29 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 38 | 6 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 43 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 31 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 43 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Total | 110 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 150 | 16 | ||
| Career total | 422 | 60 | 38 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 59 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 539 | 74 | ||
Managerial statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Arsenal | 22 December 2019 | Present | 290 | 169 | 55 | 66 | 58.28 |
| Total | 290 | 169 | 55 | 66 | 58.28 | ||
Honours
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
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2019–20
- FA Community Shield: 2020, 2023
Individual
- Globe Soccer Awards Best Premier League Coach: 2023–24
- Premier League Manager of the Month: September 2021, March 2022, August 2022, November/December 2022, January 2023, March 2023, February 2024
- London Football Awards Manager of the Year: 2023
Orders
Officer's Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic: 2024
See also
In Spanish: Mikel Arteta para niños
- List of FA Cup winning managers
- List of Arsenal F.C. managers
