His name is steeped into the club’s history, and more than a quarter of a century later, Arsenal fans still carry a torch for him. For many, the void he left has never truly been filled. Despite the arrival of Declan Rice.
He combined grace, tactical literacy, physicality and, of course, goals. No matter the occasion, he never flinched or shied away. He was a key figure as Arsenal emerged in the late 1990s to break Manchester United’s stranglehold on British football, helping the Gunners win the Premier League title in 1998 before leaving for Barcelona in 2000.
To show their affection for him, Arsenal even framed the following day’s Mirror front page and hung it in their vast press room. It remains a piece that regularly draws curious looks from reporters around the world, especially those from France visiting the Emirates Stadium for the first time.
Not even a brief spell at Chelsea could tarnish his towering reputation in north London. Or his punchy and damning assertments of the club's struggles over the years which landed heavier than he intended.
There are no prizes for guessing the man in question.
Emmanuel Petit was, is and always will be a Gunner legend.
To this day, he remains the only player on the books of a London club to score in a World Cup final during the tournament’s first 21 editions. That moment came in 1998, when he sealed France’s 3-0 demolition of Brazil in Paris, finishing off an immaculate first-time assist from his Arsenal teammate Patrick Vieira.
As Spain and Argentina contest the 22nd edition tonight, up to five players could take over Petit’s unique place in history.
Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández and Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero are among those chasing the record for Argentina.
Could it be Spain’s Arsenal linchpin Mikel Merino? You would not put it beyond the super-sub who has already floored Portugal and Belgium. Likewise, Tottenham’s Pedro Porro goes into the game full of confidence after destroying France's dream of a third star in the semis. Last but not least, the chances of Eagles winger Yeremy Pino achieving the feat appear slim, given that he played just 69 minutes during the group stage.
For the next seven hours or so, the man with the famous blonde ponytail sits alone on that list.
And come what may, he will always be the first.