Nicolas Anelka has admitted he regrets leaving Arsenal for Real Madrid in 1999, but says the circumstances at the club pushed him towards the exit. The French striker, now 47, joined Arsenal from Paris Saint-Germain as a teenager and won the Premier League before his £22 million move to Spain.
Reflecting on his time in North London, Anelka told the Sunday Mirror: 'I can go over things in my head, but so many things were said, so many things left unsaid. But the relationship with Arsenal became difficult and just pushed me through the door.' He added that he was accused of 'all sorts of things, a great deal that wasn't true'.
Anelka's move to Real Madrid proved a disappointment. After scoring 17 league goals in his final Arsenal season, he managed just two in La Liga before returning to PSG. He described the transfer as 'the beginning of a nightmare', saying: 'I understood what it meant to be a star when I arrived at Real Madrid, and I hated it.'
Despite his regrets, Anelka carved out an impressive career, scoring 125 Premier League goals—a tally bettered by only 18 players. He won a second league title with Chelsea in 2010, 12 years after his first with Arsenal. However, he missed a decisive penalty in the 2008 Champions League final as Chelsea lost to Manchester United.
Anelka's former clubs Arsenal and PSG meet in this week's Champions League final, with Arsenal aiming to defend their title after winning in 2025. The striker started the 2000 final for Real Madrid but could not help either of his former sides lift the trophy during his playing days.
