Hundreds of thousands of fans lined the streets of north London on Sunday as Arsenal paraded the Premier League trophy through the capital, marking the club's first league title since 2004. The men's and women's teams toured a circuit from the Emirates Stadium through Islington, with players celebrating on open-top buses.
Declan Rice, who was at the forefront of the celebrations, addressed the crowd with a message for next season: 'Next year, we are coming back for more! Lock in... or get locked out.' The midfielder, who has lost his voice, added: 'I love this team, I love this manager... next year I'll be back for more.'
The parade, which lasted over two hours, saw players including Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Ben White entertaining fans. White was urged to sing by Rice, who instead rapped 'Ice Ice Baby'. Havertz, speaking after the Champions League final defeat in Budapest, said: 'We are Premier League champions. After my goal, I had a great feeling. But it doesn't mean anything to me now... We'll still celebrate a great season today.'
Rice reflected on the gruelling season, which included 63 games across all competitions. 'This season from start to finish... we started in July in Singapore and we're now coming up to July again. It's been really tough, mentally draining. Since October, it has been three games a week,' he said.
The buses eventually returned to the Emirates, where players, families, and inner circle members began a private party. The celebrations are expected to continue throughout the summer, with fans reluctant to disperse. Train services in north London were affected by a trackside fire and trespassers on the line at Highbury & Islington.
