Since its inception, in the latter months of 1886, when a gaggle of workers from the Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory decided to formulate their own football team to run, Arsenal Football Club has been steeped in immense history. Fans, not just in England, but those across the globe, check in on a weekly basis as they wonder how the team from north London have been getting on. And no, not that Tottenham Hotspur lot down the road!
Arsenal are, and will always remain, one of the biggest and brightest teams that reside in the English capital – and, as a result, from their inception to the modern day, attracting football's biggest stars has seldom been an issue.
They may not have been crowned the out-and-out champions of England since 2003/04, when Arsene Wenger's Invincibles became the first – and, still, the only – English side to go unbeaten in a top flight season, but their elegance has never waned. The Frenchman introduced an attractive, even sexy, brand of football to Highbury and there are many of his former players that make it into Arsenal's all-time XI. Spoiler alert: none of Mikel Arteta's men are involved.
Goalkeeper: David Seaman
David Seaman
In between the sticks, it's rather simple: David Seaman played 563 times for Arsenal and kept 239 clean sheets in what can be considered a stellar career in the capital. Signed from Queens Park Rangers in 1990, the England great – affectionately monikered 'Safe Hands' for rather obvious reasons – rarely put a glove wrong in north London. And most fans would be inclined to agree.
His presence alone struck fear into the deadliest of forwards England's top flight has had at its disposal for years and that resulted in winning four FA Cups and three league titles across the pre- and post-Premier League era. Adding to that, Arsenal won the European Cup Winners' Cup in the 1993/94 season with Seaman stood between the sticks. The consummate professional, too, the glovesman was a hit with the Highbury faithful.
David Seaman – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals Conceded
Clean Sheets
Yellow/Red Cards
Right Back: Lee Dixon
Lee Dixon Arsenal
Lee Dixon is quite clearly not the sexiest name in this XI by any stretch of the imagination – but his 14 years of service to Arsenal, which saw him chalk up north of 600 appearances and a whole host of silverware, cannot be swept under the rug. He arrived from Stoke City in 1988 and there were very few that could foresee the career he would go on to achieve: he picked up four league titles, three FA Cups and 22 England caps.
An undeniable part of George Graham's famous back four in the late 1980s and 90s, Manchester-born Dixon was a technically sound defender who was not afraid to prance forward and deliver sumptuous balls for his north London teammates. Too modest to admit it, Dixon is doubtlessly one of the best right-backs in the history of the Premier League.
Lee Dixon – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Centre Back: Tony Adams
Tony Adams
He's called Mr Arsenal for a reason, right? The unerring epitome of the north London outfit, the towering centre-back remained a one-club man throughout his entire career and his skillset was rather flawless: he was strong, committed to the cause when in the tackle and a nuisance in both boxes.
Between 1983 and 2002, he played a total of 510 times for the Gunners and hung up his boots with four league titles, three FA Cup crowns and a European Cup to boot.
What with Tony Adams' concoction of defensive know-how and robust style of defending, there was no player more influential than the English centre-half during a period of success for the north Londoners. A leader by nature, Adams was a mainstay for both George Graham and Arsene Wenger – a true testament to how talented, and dedicated to an extent, he was to things in the north of the capital.
Tony Adams – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Centre Back: Sol Campbell
sol campbell
Mention the name Sol Campbell to half of those in the north of the capital, and you'll get a look of misery; the other half will gleefully grin from ear to ear. Acrimoniously, the Englishman moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal in 2001 on a free transfer after coming through the former's academy ranks.
In the end, he became best remembered for anchoring the Arsenal back line during their never-done-before Invincibles season.
Albeit a Spurs boy at heart, Arsenal fans embraced him as one of their own when he arrived in dramatic fashion. The famous 2003/04 campaign aside, Campbell won three FA Cups in N5 and his tarnished legacy at White Hart Lane was swiftly forgotten about by those supporters on the red half of north London.
Sol Campbell – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Left Back: Ashley Cole
ashley cole arsenal
Arsenal fans may not want to admit it, but Ashley Cole is one of – if not the – best left-backs in the history of the Premier League. Should they put their tribalism aside, the Englishman was a reliable figure on the left-hand side of their back line throughout his seven-year spell in the north of the capital. Yes, he left in difficult circumstances, but he still contributed to a trophy-laden period in the club's history.
All the silverware aside, Cole's qualities were manifold – he could burst up the flank with bags of pace while he also remained defensively resolute when facing up to some of the deadliest wingers on offer from the turn of the millennium onwards. Just ask none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed that he didn't give you a 'second to breathe' before listing all manner of enviable attributes the defender possessed.
Ashley Cole – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Central Midfield: Patrick Vieira
patrick vieira
No doubt an all-time great for the north London outfit, it seems strange that Patrick Vieira never played a game at the Emirates Stadium, which opened in 2005, the same year as the Frenchman's departure for pastures new: moving to Serie A juggernauts Juventus. Vieira, born in the capital city of Senegal, Dakar, played for a smattering of top European clubs during his career, but his 405-game Arsenal stint was the greatest of them all.
He joined as a 20-year-old in 1996 when compatriot Arsene Wenger spotted his yet-to-be-unleashed talent. What followed – including the ever-lasting legacy that he left behind –was unforeseen. Transforming into one of the best midfielders in Premier League history, the box-to-box Frenchman's trophy collection includes three league titles between 1997 and 2004.
Patrick Vieira – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Central Midfield: David Rocastle
David Rocastle in action for Arsenal
A Lewisham-born lad, David Rocastle came through the club's ranks during the mid-1980s and brought a layer of flair in front of Arsenal's defence for seven years between 1985 and 1992, when the England top flight became the Premier League. A legend in the truest sense thanks to his influence on and off the pitch, Rocky was a two-time top flight winner with the Gunners.
A true creative hub for the London outfit, the affectionately nicknamed 'Rocky' often went under the radar when operating in the space ahead of the Arsenal four-man defence and, tragically, he passed away in 2001 after battling cancer. His legacy as one of Arsenal's best-ever English players continues to live on, however, and that is thanks to the dedication he showed across 241 appearances.
David Rocastle – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Central Midfield: Liam Brady
Ireland legend Liam Brady
A lesser-known figure among the casuals, Liam Brady's brain and feet worked in perfect harmony. An academy graduate, the Dublin-born legend joined as a 15-year-old and moved into senior proceedings just two years later – and neither party ever looked back. No doubt one of the most majestic footballers to ever don Arsenal colours, he was the epitome of a 'midfield maestro' as he possessed the elegance of a ballerina.
Following his spell in England, he moved to Italy to turn out for the likes of Sampdoria, Inter Milan and Ascoli before seeing out his playing days with West Ham United. There's a shortage of superlatives to describe the full extent of how talented Brady was; and the manner in which he lit up Italy with Juventus, a club he moved to in 1980, just made the post-Brady years in the English capital even gloomier.
Liam Brady – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Central Attacking Midfield: Dennis Bergkamp
Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp
Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp
The superlative that best describes Arsenal hero Dennis Bergkamp is masterful: his velvety first touch was sumptuous, his ability to link up and bounce off other teammates was second to none and his ability to swivel on a six pence – as evidenced by that goal against Newcastle United (watch it below!) – was utterly unique.
Instrumental in the club’s success during the late 1990s and early 2000s, the partnership he managed to form with Thierry Henry (more on him in a second!) was nothing short of devastating: the two, arm in arm, wreaked havoc up and down the country on a weekly basis. To highlight just how special a talent the Dutchman was, ex-Arsenal striker John Hartson summed it up perfectly by saying:
"If he played in the snow, he wouldn't leave any footprints!"
Dennis Bergkamp – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Striker: Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry for Arsenal in 2006
You get no gold medal for guessing that Thierry Henry would be included. The languid Frenchman epitomises the Premier League era; and although it took him seven outings to notch a goal contribution in England's top flight, the years – and abundance of memories – to follow were nothing short of extraordinary. Just a reminder that Henry's £11 million-worth price tag, when he moved from Juventus to Arsenal in 1999, was scoffed at.
Proving every doubter wrong, Henry became one of the greatest centre-forwards to ever grace the beautiful game. Brought in as a replacement for fellow French forward Nicolas Anelka, the ex-Barcelona and AS Monaco talisman was immediately moulded into a striker by Wenger, a move that would pay rich dividends in years to come.
Thierry Henry – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Striker: Ian Wright
Ian Wright
A late bloomer of sorts, Ian Wright – who was famously rejected by the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Southend United during his teenage years – was a striker of the highest order during his 288-game spell at Arsenal; he scored plenty of goals and won plenty of silverware and his colourful character made him an entirely loveable figure.
The talisman-turned-pundit found the back of the net with a relative simplicity throughout his Highbury tenure, which resulted in the solitary Premier League title, two FA Cups and a League Cup crown. In the 1990s, Wright was a terrace hero of the highest regard.
His assembly of silverware aside, Uncle Wrighty is a centre-forward immortalised in the storied history of the Gunners for just how monstrous he was in the final third. With 185 strikes in just under 300 outings, he remains the club's second-highest goalscorer of all time.
Ian Wright – Arsenal Statistics
Years at the Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Yellow/Red Cards
Manager and Honourable Mentions
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger at Wembley Stadium in 2009
From a managerial perspective, there's really only one man that can be picked: and that's the one and only, Arsene Wenger, as he pips George Graham and Herbert Chapman. Appointed in 1996, the iconic Frenchman was at the helm during the club's most illustrious period, and he was assisted by players such as Robert Pires and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom are unfortunate to miss out. The former was a gloriously talented winger; the latter a classy operator in the middle.
Defender-turned-pundit Martin Keown, who spent the best part of 20 years at the club, is also among the honourable mentions. As is the unforgettable Gilberto Silva, who spent a six-season stint manning Arsenal's engine room. He may not be remembered in the same breath as others – Vieira and the like – but the majority of the seasoned Brazilian's displays were applause-worthy.
Gilberto Silva
Taking a trip further down memory lane, the likes of Cliff Bastin, the perfect professional Pat Rice and Frank McLintock – the well-enamored captain of the club's famous 1970/71 double-winning side – are all former Arsenal stars who, too, are unfortunate to miss out given their respective careers and accolades while on the London outfit's books. Then you've got the likes of Charlie George, Bob Wilson and George Armstong. The list is practically endless.
All statistics per Transfermarkt and Arsenal – correct as of 15/11/2025