Yannick Bolasie Hails Mikel Arteta After Arsenal End 22-Year Premier League Title Drought

Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years has drawn reactions from across the football world, including from former Congo DR winger Yannick Bolasie, who took to social media platform X to celebrate the landmark achievement and defend the legacy of manager Mikel Arteta.

The former Crystal Palace winger, a self-confessed Arsenal supporter, posted his reaction after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth on May 19, 2026 — a result that mathematically confirmed Arsenal as Premier League champions. Eli Junior Kroupi opened the scoring for the Cherries in the 38th minute, and despite Erling Haaland equalising late to set up a tense finale, City could only take one point. That left them four points adrift of Arsenal with just one match of the season remaining, a gap that could not be overturned.

Bolasie directed much of his post toward the scrutiny Arteta had faced in the lead-up to this campaign. “I also don’t want anyone to forget how at the end of last season all the people who talk on TV and on the net put the pressure on Arteta saying ‘he has to win the league this year,'” Bolasie wrote on X. He added that such pressure was “a wild thing to say” but that Arteta had “shut everyone up with the mentality he’s built there,” suggesting critics “would have all got the flamethrowers out” had Arsenal failed to deliver. Bolasie also urged the public not to underestimate the manager’s appeal, writing, “don’t let anyone pretend they wouldn’t love him as there manager.”

Beyond Arteta, Bolasie identified specific players as central to Arsenal’s title-winning formula. He pointed to the arrival of Declan Rice as a pivotal moment, suggesting that the day Arsenal signed the England midfielder was the day the club became annual contenders for the championship. He also singled out the centre-back pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba, describing them as the best defensive partnership in football over recent years, and referred to Bukayo Saka as the “starboy we all know he is.”

Arsenal’s title ends a wait stretching back to the 2003-04 season, when Arsène Wenger’s side went the entire Premier League campaign unbeaten — a feat that earned them the enduring nickname “The Invincibles.” Bolasie, reflecting on the length of that gap, noted with humour: “I was still wearing Wallabees in school kicking ball last time I got to celebrate.”

The title triumph represents the culmination of a sustained rebuild under Arteta, who was appointed Arsenal head coach in December 2019. The club finished second in the Premier League in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons before finally going the distance in 2025-26. The confirmation of the title at the Vitality Stadium, where Bournemouth’s Kroupi proved the decisive figure, sparked celebrations across North London.

For Pep Guardiola, the result denied him a title send-off at Manchester City, with reports having circulated throughout the season about the future of his tenure at the club. City’s failure to win at Bournemouth brought an end to any remaining hope of a final-day miracle.