Arsenal football club is a professional sports team based in London, England. Arsenal currently plays in the Premier League, and dominated various competitions both domestically and internationally during its long and illustrious history. The club was founded in 1886 under the name ‘Dial Square’. It was one of the first clubs from London to join in the football league back in 1893. The next major event in the history of Arsenal came about in 1913 when they moved to the Arsenal Stadium in Highbury. It formed the basis for Arsenal’s trophies for nearly 100 years until Arsenal moved to the new Emirates Stadium in 2006.
So far, the club has won 13 Championship titles, which include victories in both the First Division and the Premier League. Despite having not won the UEFA Champions League until now, Arsenal are recognised as one of the major clubs both domestically and internationally. They have, however, made it to the finals of this prestigious tournament once in 2006. More than the championship titles, it is for the FA Cup victories that Arsenal is best known for, having won the FA Cup 10 times.
Arsenal also hold the distinction of having completed a full season without defeat, which has not happened in English football before. The record-breaking season came about in 2004, when Arsene Wenger’s men managed to stay undefeated throughout the whole season.
Prior to the move to the Emirates Stadium, finances was probably not the standout feature for Arsenal. Since then, though, they have claimed the football finance tree so much so that they are now in the seventh position when it comes to overall value. As a business, Arsenal football club is valued at more than $1 billion, just below the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid.
London plays host to various football clubs, which obviously results in a lot of intense rivalries for Arsenal. However, one of the most important rivals is Tottenham Hotspur, and the North London Derby – as it is called -is one of the toughest and most watched match during the entire season.
Other rivals for Arsenal include Chelsea, West Ham United, QPR, and Charlton Athletic. Due to its rich history, Arsenal also been graced by some of the best players in the world. In recent times, however, many players have made a name for themselves after arriving at Arsenal. They include players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera, and Robert Pires. Other notable players in the past include Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, and David O’Leary.
Arsenal’s home shirt features predominantly red colour along with white stripes, while the away shirt usually changes every season with yellow and dark blue. Arsenal will also be celebrating their 125th anniversary – something that very few clubs in England can boast of – in the Premier league 2011-2012 season. In terms of international competitions, Arsenal FC has won the European Cup Winners’ Cup once, while finishing as the runner-up in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.