Where are Arsenal’s Champions League heroes of 2006?
Where is he now? Thierry Henry was one of Arsenal’s star men during their run to the 2006 final
During Arsene Wenger’s 20 years in charge of Arsenal, he has only ever reached the Champions League final once. Despite trailing Frank Riijkaard’s Barcelona with a numerical disadvantage of one for most of the game, the Gunners were on course to record their first ever European Cup at the Stade de France, with Sol Campbell’s first-half header separating the sides.
The introduction of Henrik Larsson proved instrumental for Blaugrana however, setting up both Julianno Belletti and Samuel Eto’o for their match-winning strikes. Arsenal have failed to contest a Champions League final since.
That match proved to be a swan song for many of the Arsenal brigade, triggering a break-up in what had once been regarded as a dominant force in English football. We take a look at the team who narrowly lost out in that 2006 Champions League final, and see what happened to them after that night in Paris:
Goalkeeper: Jens Lehmann
Jens Lehmann and Patrick Vieira in 2005
A firm fan favourite at Highbury, Jens Lehmann proved to be the villain of the piece at the Parc des Princes, receiving a red card after 18 minutes for hauling down Samuel Eto’o.
While Arsenal still rallied to take the lead before half-time, the numerical disadvantage ultimately proved too much.
He would spend two more years at the club, before briefly returning in 2011 after a two-year spell at VfB Stuttgart. He played just one game on his return – his 200th for the Gunners – before retiring as Arsenal’s oldest ever Premier League player at 41.
Right-Back: Emmanuel Eboue
Another favourite at the club, Emmanuel Eboue provided a mix of entertainment and infuriation during his seven seasons at the club. The former Ivory Coast international would eventually depart in 2011, signing for Galatasaray – where he stayed for the duration of his four-year contract.
In March 2016, the former Arsenal cult figure penned a short-term deal with Sunderland only to be released the following month after news came to light that he was to serve a one-year ban from all football-related activity for failure to pay a former agent.
Centre-Back: Kolo Toure
Celtic’s Kolo Toure warms up before a match
Having been snapped up by Arsene Wenger in 2002, Kolo Toure quickly proved a huge hit with the Highbury faithful due to his no-nonsense tackling and almost telepathic communication with partner Sol Campbell. Despite the upheaval in the Arsenal backline, he proved a mainstay for the duration of his seven seasons before departing for Manchester City in a £14 million deal in 2009.
After winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield during his four seasons in the capital, he left for Liverpool where he once again proved a popular figure with the fans.
Now at 35 years old, he has been reunited with former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic having penned a one-year deal in July.
Centre-Back: Sol Campbell
Arsenal’s Sol Campbell is dejected after being booked
Having given the Gunners the lead against Barcelona with a soaring header in what was his last game for the club, Sol Campbell must have thought he was bowing out in perfect fashion. The former Tottenham centre-half had endured a tumultuous couple of months, after a dramatic dip in form had seen the two-time Premier League winner seek a Highbury exit.
He would sign for Portsmouth on a free transfer in the summer, winning an unprecedented FA Cup under Harry Redknapp’s tutelage. A brief foray into League Two with Notts County was next, before a slightly longer return to Arsenal. He hung up his boots at the end of the 10/11 season after making eight appearances for Newcastle United.
Campbell was recently disappointed not to have been shortlisted to be the Conservative Party’s London mayoral candidate for 2016.
Left-Back: Ashley Cole
Picture Supplied by Action Images
Having established himself as one of the world’s finest left-backs at Arsenal, the Highbury graduate subsequently penned a deal at Chelsea in the summer of 2006 following a contract dispute with the Gunners.
Arsenal supporters have never forgiven Cole for this perceived act of betrayal, but he has gone on to win four FA Cups, a Premier League and a Champions League amongst other trophies during his eight seasons at Stamford Bridge.
After a brief stint at Roma following his 2014 exit, Cole has now linked up with former England team-mate Steven Gerrard at LA Galaxy.
Right-Wing: Freddie Ljungberg
Ljungberg signed from Halmstads BK in 1998, and the Swede proved to be a huge hit at Highbury during his nine years at the club. Having turned 30, he was shipped out to West Ham in the summer of 2007 where he endured an injury-ravaged campaign.
Spells at Seattle Sounders FC, Chicago Fire, Celtic and Shimizu S-Pulse fared no better, before he announced his retirement in 2012.
In July 2014, he announced a comeback to promote the launch of the Indian Super League and was signed to Mumbai City FC but curtailed his plans by cancelling his contract after four games amid persistent back problems.
He currently resides in London and is working with the Gunners’ academy.
Centre-Midfield: Gilberto Silva
Gilberto Silva was likened to a brick wall during his six years at Arsenal. The Brazilian midfielder left in 2008 for Panathinaikos, before returning to his homeland three years later when he put pen to paper on a deal at Gremio. He finished his career at Atletico Mineiro, retiring at the age of 36 years old.
In 2006, Silva returned to Greece where he took up the role of technical director at former club Panathinaikos.
Centre-Midfield: Cesc Fabregas
Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas celebrates scoring their first goal
Cesc Fabregas was just 19 when he started the Champions League final, and big things were expected of the Spanish international. He would establish himself as a key player for the Gunners, spending five more years in London before returning to Barcelona in a £29 million deal.
After struggling to establish himself with Barca, the Spaniard returned to London after three years but wearing the blue of Chelsea, much to the disdain of Arsenal fans. He played a key role in Chelsea’s title win during his first season at the club, but he currently finds himself frozen out of Antonio Conte’s starting XI.
Left-Wing: Robert Pires
Former footballer Robert Pires during the festival
Used as the sacrificial lamb during the Champions League final, making way for Manuel Almunia after Jens Lehmann’s red card inside the first 20 minutes, Robert Pires will have felt aggrieved that he couldn’t make his mark on the game.
The French winger, signed in 2000 from Marseille, scored 84 goals in 186 games for the Gunners, and at his peak was regarded as one of the most fearsome widemen in world football. Having slid down the pecking order during his final season however, he opted to sign for Villareal at the end of the 05/06 season.
He returned to England in 2010 to play a bit-part role for Aston Villa, before his release at the end of the season. In 2014, he announced his comeback in signing for FC Goa at the age of 40 in a bid to promote the launch of the Indian Super League. He was released at the end of the season, and announced his retirement in February 2016.
Attacking Midfield: Alekander Hleb
Alexander Hleb – Barcelona
Big things were expected of Alexander Hleb when he signed from Vfb Stuttgart in a £10 million deal in 2005. After a couple of decent seasons at the club, he was quickly snapped up by Barcelona in 2008 where he rarely featured during his four seasons at Camp Nou.
He has played in Birmingham, Belarus and Russia during the last ten years, never spending more than one season at a club. Currently in his fifth stint at BATE Borisov, the 35-year-old might hope to finally put down some roots after a tumultuous decade.
Centre-Forward: Thierry Henry
Picture Supplied by Action Images – Zidane and Henry
Arsenal’s record goalscorer broke Highbury hearts when he finally departed the club in 2007, penning a deal at Barcelona.
He would go on to win the treble amongst other silverware during his three years in Spain, before seeing out the remaining four years of his career with New York Red Bulls. He also found time to return to Arsenal on loan, scoring an emotional winner against Leeds United in the FA Cup in January 2012.
Henry now juggles two jobs, serving as assistant boss to Roberto Martinez with the Belgian national team and being one of the regular expert pundits on Sky Sports.
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