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Following his last home game at the Emirates, in which the Gunners ran out 5-0 winners against Burnley, we look back at some of the most touching tributes that Arsene Wenger has received ever since he announced that he will be stepping down as manager of the club he has served for over two glorious decades.
#10 Gary Neville
Gary Neville was part of the Manchester United team which regularly battled with Wenger's Arsenal during the 1990s and 2000s and has regularly commentated on his teams after becoming a pundit.
He said the Frenchman's 22-year reign should be remembered in fond terms, having led Arsenal to three of their 13 top-flight titles, an unbeaten league season in 2003/4 and seven FA Cup successes.
In a touching tribute to the Frenchman, the former Manchester United captain praised the Arsenal manager for all that he has achieved in his tenure at the cub:
"My initial reaction to the news of Arsene Wenger leaving is one of warmth towards him. When someone makes a decision like that you think back to the great battles, teams and players he managed over a long period of time. The best English teams I played against were built and managed by Arsene. The 1998 team was the best one, he got under our skins for a number of years, he was our greatest competitor in terms of going for Premier League titles. In terms of the football they played, the biggest compliment I can give him is that he played a level and brand of football that made us change the way we played, which you don't say about too many teams."
#9 Jack Wilshere
One of Arsene Wenger's disciples, Jack Wilshere, took to social media to acknowledge the effect the gaffer has had on his career. He expressed his love and respect for the manager who has stuck by him through thick and thin and overseen his development ever since he came onto the scene as a 16-year old.
Not a long time back, people were writing up obituaries for his career, but Wenger persisted with the midfielder and it is slowly beginning to pay dividends for the club.
This is what the Arsenal man had to say about his outgoing manager:
#8 Cesc Fabregas
Another player who has succeeded under the tutelage of the Frenchman took to Instagram to profess his love for Le Professor.
Cesc Fabregas owes a great deal to Wenger who displayed unparalleled faith in the young Spaniard and thrust him onto the world stage. Fabregas is widely considered as one of the better midfielders of his generation and despite switching allegiances, the Chelsea man poured out his heart in a heart-warming tribute to his former manager.
#7 Robin van Persie
Another former player had touching words to say about the outgoing Arsenal manager. Having played under both Ferguson and Wenger, it a testament to Arsene Wenger that RVP thinks that the Arsenal man is the "Greatest manager in the world".
The Dutchman gained prominence under the guidance fo the Frenchman and had his most successful spell in his illustrious career in the red and white of Arsenal. Despite moving to Old Trafford in his final sprint in the Premier League, the forward has been candid about his feeling for his former manager and it came as no surprise when he took to Twitter to express his gratefulness toward Arsene Wenger.
#6 Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp has hailed Arsene Wenger as an "outstanding personality" and a "big role model" after the veteran Arsenal boss announced he would stand down at the end of this season.
The German has had intense battles with the Frenchman in his spell as the Liverpool manager but off the field, the Klopp has had nothing but respect for the longest-serving manager in the game.
The Liverpool man expressed his respect and admiration for the outgoing manager:
“I am surprised. It is his decision. I respect that. He is an influence in football. Had a fantastic career. Outstanding personality. He was the dominating guy in mid 1990s, 2000s. It is different now because we have to challenge, but in Germany he was a big role model.”
#5 Pep Guardiola
Rival manager Pep Guardiola also joined in the growing chorus celebrating the illustrious career of the Arsenal manager. The two have faced each other a number of times but the Spaniard has gotten the better of the Frenchman more often than not.
Wenger, however, did beat City on his way to the FA Cup last season which resulted in the extension he received.
The Spaniard has always been very respectful toward the Arsenal manager and did so again when acknowledging the effect the Frenchman has had on the game:
"All my respect for what he has done. The Premier League is about huge personalities like Arsene. It is because of what he has done - his vision, his respect for football. I wish him all the best in the future. I hope he can be involved in world football in a different way with his experience - Arsenal, Uefa, Fifa... I don't know. It was a pleasure to compete against him here and at Barcelona and Bayern Munich."
#4 Thierry Henry
Arguably the greatest gift that Wenger has given to the world of football is the searing talent of Thierry Henry. The striker is widely regarded as one of the finest of his generation and is also the most prolific goal-scorer in the history of Arsenal Football Club with 228 goals.
After leaving for Barcelona and then to the MLS in the United States, the Frenchman reunited with his former manager at Arsenal for a brief period in 2012. Recently reports have claimed that all might be well between the two but the forward put these rumours to rest with a heart-warming tribute to his former boss:
"Recently, people were always confusing what the team were doing at present with his legacy. Once you announce you are leaving, people are going to talk about your legacy, and his legacy is untouchable. I'm happy now we can talk about that legacy. Yes, let's not forget we need to win the Europa League, let's not get lost in celebrating, it would be an amazing achievement and a great way to give him an exit. But I'm finally happy that now, the talk we can all have his about his legacy. It was a bit of a mixed one; it's a sad day for me to see the big man leaving the club, and happy in the way that people are hopefully going to give him the exit he deserves. The boss was the type of man that was going to trigger your brain on what you can achieve, then it's up to you to achieve it, go out there and perform. He gave you that freedom."
#3 Sir Alex Ferguson
Arguably the greatest rivalry of the new millennium is the one between two of the greatest managers in the history of the game.
Both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have fought tooth and nail for two decades and thus provided the world with some of the finest football and clashes in the English game. Luckily though, the animosity between the two has receded in recent times ever since the Scot left Old Trafford.
Ferguson showed his class once again by openly celebrating Wenger's career and acknowledging his contribution to the game:
“I have great respect for him and for the job he has done at Arsenal. It is great testament to his talent, professionalism and determination that he has been able to dedicate 22 years of his life to a job that he loves.In an era where football managers sometimes only last one or two seasons, it shows what an achievement it is to serve that length of time at a club the size of Arsenal. I am pleased that he has announced he is leaving at this stage of the season, as he can now have the send-off that he truly deserves. He is, without doubt, one of the greatest Premier League managers and I am proud to have been a rival, a colleague and a friend to such a great man.”
#2 Jose Mourinho
If the greatest rivalry of yesteryear was the one between the former United manager and the outgoing Arsenal manager, the one of the current era is undoubtedly the one between the current United manager and the outgoing Arsenal manager.
Jose Mourinho and Arsenal have had a, let's say, not entirely cordial relationship with the former calling the latter a voyeur and a specialist in failure and the latter shoving the former at Stamford Bridge. But it was nice to see both of them put aside the hatred and acknowledge the significance of the moment.
Jose Mourinho candidly made this admission:
“If he is happy with the decision he made and looks forward to the next chapter of his career and his life, I am really happy for him. If he is sad, I am sad. I am pretty sure that we as a club - especially because Mr Wenger and Arsenal were for many, many years the biggest rivals of the Sir Alex era - will show Mr Wenger the respect that he deserves."
#1 Jeremy Corbyn
The last name on this list is surprising, not of a footballer or manager but of a well-renowned politician who has publicly alluded to his love for the club that Arsene Wenger currently manages.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lead the way as several politicians poked their heads above the parapet to congratulate the outgoing Arsenal manager for a successful 22-year career at the North London Club:
