Mikel Arteta wins the award for best manager in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta makes history: named the best manager of the Premier League after leading Arsenal to the title after 22 years

Spanish coach Mikel Arteta has just inscribed his name in the gallery of great managers of the Premier League by being named the best manager of the 2025/26 season. This unprecedented distinction for Arteta comes after a memorable achievement: leading Arsenal to win the English championship, a title that had eluded the Gunners for 22 years, since the legendary Invincibles team of Arsène Wenger, which won the league in 2003/04 without suffering a single defeat.

After three consecutive seasons finishing in second place, Arteta finally managed to break the dominance of Manchester City and secure the title in the penultimate match of the league, a conclusion that filled London fans with pride and excitement. This triumph not only marks Arsenal’s return to the top of English football but also places Arteta alongside Wenger, being the first Gunners manager to receive the Premier League Manager of the Season award since the iconic Frenchman, who won it in 1997/98, 2001/02, and 2003/04.

The secret to Arsenal’s success lay in an almost impenetrable defense, which kept the goal intact in 19 of the 38 matches played and conceded only 27 goals – the best defensive numbers in the league. In attack, the team scored 71 goals, finishing only behind Manchester City, which netted 77. This combination of defensive solidity and offensive effectiveness proved unbeatable in the title race.

Another historical fact: Mikel Arteta became the first manager to win the Premier League with a club he also represented as a player in the competition. Between 2011 and 2016, Arteta wore the Arsenal jersey, and now he returns to the top of English football as a victorious coach, a feat that further reinforces his connection and importance to the club.

At just 44 years and 54 days old, Arteta is the third youngest manager to win the English title, behind only the legendary José Mourinho, who won the championship with Chelsea at 42 years and 94 days in 2004/05, and repeated the achievement at 43 years and 93 days the following season.

Arteta’s election as Manager of the Season resulted from a combination of public votes and the assessment of a panel of football experts, which had a shortlist of high-profile finalists, including Keith Andrews (Brentford), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Andoni Iraola (AFC Bournemouth), and Regis Le Bris (Sunderland).

Now, Arsenal has set its sights on an even more ambitious goal: to win the UEFA Champions League and achieve a historic double. To do this, the Gunners will have to overcome the current trophy holder, Paris Saint-Germain, in the final scheduled for this Saturday in Budapest. An unprecedented victory in the Champions League would crown Arteta and his team’s perfect season, firmly placing Arsenal back at the top of European football.

Mikel Arteta, the man who has reignited the dreams of the Gunners, is thus writing one of the most glorious chapters in the club’s history and in the Premier League. His journey has only just begun, and the football world will want to pay attention to what this young Spanish coach can still achieve.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.