Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta becomes third-youngest manager to win Premier League title
Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions after Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth on May 20. The title made Mikel Arteta the third-youngest manager to win the league and ended the club's 22-year wait.
- May 20, 2026,
- Updated May 20, 2026, 9:24 AM IST
Mikel Arteta became the third-youngest manager in Premier League history to win the title after Arsenal were confirmed champions following Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against AFC Bournemouth on May 20.
At 44 years and 54 days, the Spaniard joins an elite list led by José Mourinho, who won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2004/05 and 2005/06 at a younger age.
The title marks a major milestone in Arteta’s managerial career and ends Arsenal’s 22-year wait for a Premier League crown. The club last lifted the trophy during the 2003/04 “Invincibles” campaign under Arsène Wenger.
Arteta, appointed Arsenal manager in 2019, also became the youngest manager in the club’s history to win the league title, surpassing George Graham, who guided Arsenal to the championship in the 1988/89 season.
The former Arsenal captain is now the first ex-skipper of the club to lead the side to a top-flight title as manager. He is also only the second person to feature in the Premier League as a player and later win it as a manager, after Roberto Mancini.
Under captain Martin Ødegaard, Arsenal secured the title after three consecutive second-place finishes, including the 2023/24 season when Manchester City edged them by two points.
Arsenal’s campaign was built on contributions across the squad. Viktor Gyökeres finished as the club’s leading scorer with 14 goals, while Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino also played key roles throughout the season.