Twenty four hours earlier, Arsenal players were walking away from the Champions League trophy in Budapest with tears in their eyes.
On Sunday afternoon, they were standing on top of an open top bus looking out at a sea of red and white stretching across North London.
Football can be cruel.
But football can also be beautiful.
Arsenal Fans Showed Up When It Mattered Most
Reports before the parade suggested that around 500,000 supporters were expected to line the streets of North London to celebrate Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years. As images emerged throughout the afternoon, some estimates suggested the crowds were in excess of one million.
What made the scenes even more remarkable was the timing.
This wasn’t a celebration taking place weeks after a disappointment had faded. This was less than a day after Arsenal had suffered one of the most painful defeats in the club’s modern history.
The wounds from Budapest were still fresh.
Yet the supporters turned up anyway.
Not because Arsenal won the Champions League.
Because Arsenal earned their respect.
A Club United By Pride, Not Just Trophies
The easiest thing after losing a major final is to focus only on what might have been.
The penalty shootout.
The missed chances.
The fine margins.
Instead, hundreds of thousands of Arsenal supporters chose to celebrate what this team has achieved.
Premier League champions.
Champions League finalists.
A squad that has continued to improve year after year under Mikel Arteta.
The images from North London told their own story. Families, children, lifelong supporters and a new generation of Gooners packed the streets to thank a team that has given them belief again.
Perhaps that is the biggest takeaway from this weekend.
The pain of Budapest will remain for a while.
But the scenes from the parade proved that Arsenal are no longer a club hoping to compete.
They are competing.
They are winning.
And they have built something that supporters genuinely believe in.
As Declan Rice said after the final, this is not going to define Arsenal. The journey has been quarter final, semi final and now final. The next challenge is obvious. Keep building.
If half a million supporters can still fill the streets the day after heartbreak, imagine what North London will look like when this team finally brings the Champions League home.
Do you think the parade showed just how far Arsenal have come under Arteta, Gooners?
Did you attend the parade?
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I’ve read that it was the biggest ever in the UK. Seemed like the whole of Islington was there.
Watched it from leaving the Emirates until the return.
I’m very proud of Arsenal. Great times ahead. COYG
I couldn’t be there on Sunday but the atmosphere was building at the live screening. Getting along the Holloway Rd afterwards was a sea of red and white.
When I finally got off the train and into my car, I had the misfortune to turn on Cundy and Agbonlahor taking the mick out of Arsenal supporters phoning in. It was embarrassing from a national broadcaster to allow them to do it so I pressed the off button. Why listen to a couple of numpties being rude when an English club was representing the nation in a European final?
However, I watched the live coverage yesterday provided by Arsenal and it was a true celebration and the players looked stunned by the whole thing. I’d say Josh Kroenke enjoyed himself as much as anyone. Arsenal are a special club and the million plus who were there to share that experience with the players proved beyond doubt to anybody that did, that Arsenal have the most amazing heritage and Cundy and Agbonlahor probably realise that by now.
For those of us who have family connections to the area and therefore, the club, it made me very emotional. Memories of my parents and grandparents and going to Jones Brothers with my mum for my regular haircuts as a child.
But, you’re with your own people regardless of where you’re from and for Konstantin who flew in, Ken1945 and others who made the journey it was a day to remember and to share in that common thread. The Arsenal.
SueP
I’m very glad that you enjoyed the show. I was pleased to see two of the addresses in Drayton Park, where I’d lived in the 60’s & 70’s. I used to love going to Jones Bros too, with my then-wife. I thought that it was a bit odd that the young lady who was doing the commentary kept referring to North London, but not once did she mention Islington.
Fine article Michelle. Gee, maybe that “failure” to win the CL wasn’t such a failure for Gooners after all unless you only look at the last entry in the tournament bracket. Much more to being a Gooner and supporting this club than looking at the end of season table or demanding that shiny new trophy.
I must admit, I laughed on hearing someone say, I’m surprised Arsenal never parked the bus. 😂🤣
🤣🤣funny Derek – Only thing is, we don’t park the bus, it just moves very very slowly and the other team also has to slow down – kind of like a construction zone.