Kroenke's Challenge to Arsenal: Build on Last Season's Success
Stan and Josh Kroenke have thrown down a clear challenge to Arsenal’s players, staff and supporters on the eve of their Premier League title defence: enjoy the memories, but don’t stand still.
On the night Arsenal open the new campaign against Coventry City, the club’s co-chairs used their joint programme notes to both savour a historic year and demand more silverware.
“Etched in our hearts”
The Kroenkes called the 2025/26 season one that “will forever be etched in our hearts”, a campaign that finally ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League crown and saw Arsenal crowned FIFA Women’s World Champions.
Lifting the trophy at Selhurst Park was described as a “special moment”, but the owners insisted it was the aftermath that truly defined it. The celebrations that swept from north London across continents were picked out as proof of Arsenal’s reach and the emotional pull of the club.
From their vantage point, those scenes were about more than a long-awaited title. They were about borders disappearing, generations mixing, and a global fanbase moving as one.
From parade euphoria to renewed drive
The co-chairs also looked back on the title parade through north London, a day they felt stitched club and supporters back together after the pain of losing the Champions League final. The parade, in their eyes, reset the mood and underlined the bond between team and terrace.
But the nostalgia stopped there.
“While we will cherish the memories of last season, our focus is now on building on our success this season and beyond. Champions don’t stand still, they evolve and keep moving forward,” they wrote, making it clear that last year’s breakthrough is only a starting point.
They pointed to Arsenal’s growing influence on the international stage, highlighting Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi and David Raya playing their part in Spain’s World Cup triumph. The recent Community Shield win over Manchester City was flagged as another marker of a squad and club carrying real momentum into the new season.
Change in the squad, and behind the scenes
The message did not shy away from the churn that comes with success. The departures of Leandro Trossard, Christian Norgaard, Jakub Kiwior, Karl Hein, Rosa Kafaji, Jenna Nighswonger and Laila Harbert were all acknowledged, a nod to players who helped shape the journey but will not be on the pitch for this next chapter.
Arsenal’s rebuild and refresh were laid out just as clearly. The Kroenkes welcomed Pascal De Maesschalck as the new Academy Director, underlining the importance of the club’s production line at a time when the first team sits back among the game’s elite.
They also name-checked a raft of summer signings across the men’s and women’s sides: Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis, Illan Meslier, Piero Hincapie, Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Selina Cerci, Geraldine Reuteler, Lisa Baum, Isabella Damm and Misa Rodriguez. It was a roll call designed to show ambition, depth and a plan for sustaining success rather than simply basking in it.
A clear call to the Arsenal crowd
As the Emirates prepares for another season with a target on its back, the owners closed with a pointed mixture of gratitude and expectation. They thanked supporters “here tonight and those tuning in around the globe” for their loyalty and made no secret of their hopes for the months ahead: more wild celebrations, and “going one (or more) better across our teams.”
No caveats. No softening of the aim.
The message ended where many Arsenal stories do when belief is high and the stakes are clear.
“Enjoy the game and come on you Gunners!”
