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Where are they now? Arsenal’s FA Cup winners from 2014

Planet Football •

The 2014 FA Cup win was a big one for Arsenal. It ended a nine-year trophy drought and helped them turn a corner, with two more triumphs arriving in the following three years.

But it was in doubt early on when Steve Bruce’s Hull City took a surprise 2-0 lead inside eight minutes at Wembley, though the Gunners fought back thanks to goals from Santi Cazorla, Laurent Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey’s extra-time winner.

Almost nine years on, a lot has changed at Arsenal. Not only is there a new man in the dugout, but none of the players are still turning out for the Gunners. We’ve taken a look back on the starting XI and subs from Wembley that day.

GK: Lukasz Fabianski

The cup choice that season, Fabianski played in place of his Polish compatriot Wojciech Szczęsny.

That was to be his last appearance for Arsenal, as less than two weeks later it was announced he was to join Swansea City. He was voted the Swans’ player of the season as they were relegated in 2017-18 and received the same individual accolade in his debut campaign at West Ham. 

Now 37, he’s still turning out at the London Stadium.

RB: Bacary Sagna

Like Fabianski, the 2014 final was Sagna’s last game for the club. That summer he joined up with the Premier League champions Manchester City, but the only trophy he won in three years there was the League Cup.

Moved on by City in 2017 as Pep Guardiola upgraded his full-backs, Sagna spent a short spell at Italian minnows Benevento and retired in 2019 after seeing out his career with MLS outfit Montreal Impact.

CB: Per Mertesacker

The big f*cking German retired in 2018 after injuries curtailed the final few years of his career. Now academy manager at Arsenal, he’s looking to change the mentality at the club.

“In my new role as Arsenal academy manager, I will do everything I can to challenge the young players’ mindsets,” he wrote in his 2018 book.

“I want to challenge them so that they are ready to take on new ideas and protect them from being injured, when it comes to their body and soul.”

READ: A forensic analysis of Per Mertesacker’s display in the 2017 FA Cup final

CB: Laurent Koscielny

Scorer of the equaliser against Hull, Koscielny’s lengthy and memorable stint at Arsenal had its ups and downs,

The centre-half might have thought his Arsenal career was over when he suffered a serious Achilles injury against Atletico Madrid in May 2018. But six months later he made a miraculous return to become an important player for Unai Emery.

He eventually departed in somewhat acrimonious circumstances, having forced through a move back to France, signing for Bordeaux in 2019. The defender retired earlier this year.

LB: Kieran Gibbs

Gibbs had been at Arsenal for 13 years when he left for West Brom in 2017. He was relegated with the Baggies in his first season at the Hawthorns, and true to their form they suffered another promotion and relegation during his time there.

The 33-year-old left-back is currently turning out for MLS side Inter Miami.

CM: Mikel Arteta

Captain that day, Arteta has quite the reputation as an influential figure in the dressing room during Wenger’s latter years and was tipped to be his successor in the summer of 2018.

In the end, he stayed put as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City as Emery was favoured by the Arsenal board, but destiny came calling 18 months later.

And what a job he’s doing.

READ: The Premier League table since Arsenal appointed Mikel Arteta

CM: Aaron Ramsey

Scorer of Arsenal’s extra-time matchwinner, Ramsey was named man of the match and would go on to make more special contributions for the Gunners in the subsequent FA Cup wins.

After departing Arsenal on a free in the summer of 2019, he followed in the footsteps of legendary Welshman John Charles and represented Juventus. He won the Scudetto in his first season out in Italy but his latter seasons were less successful. 

Nowadays Ramsey is turning out alongside Gunners loaner Nicolas Pepe and fellow Premier League old boys Ross Barkley, Kasper Schmeichel and Morgan Schneiderlin.

RW: Santi Cazorla (Tomas Rosicky, ‘106)

Cazorla was flying and playing at the top of his powers as Arsenal lifted the FA Cup in 2014 before suffering the dictionary definition of a horror injury.

The Spanish cult hero nearly lost his leg during his miserable final years at the club, and many feared his career would be over as he made just 23 appearances in his last three years at Arsenal.

He since enjoyed a remarkable resurgence at Villarreal, which have earned him the unlikeliest of recalls to the Spanish national team. A happy ending that almost nobody saw coming.

Cazorla’s still playing today, earning a nice last big paycheque out with Qatari outfit Al Sadd.

Rosicky was introduced in extra time as Arsenal pushed for the winner. The midfielder saw out the final year of his career at his boyhood club Sparta Prague in the 2016-17 season. He’s now their sporting director.

 

CAM: Mesut Ozil (Jack Wilshere, ‘106)

The mercurial playmaker helped Arsenal win three FA Cups in his first four years with Arsenal after they went almost a decade without the sweet taste of silverware.

Like so many others, Ozil’s latter time at the Emirates left a bit of a sour taste, but few will forget what a player he was in those prime years.

After an unsuccessful stint at Fenerbahce, Ozil remains in the Turkish Super Lig, turning out for Istanbul Basaksehir.

Injuries took their toll on Wilshere, who retired at the age of 30. He’s now back at Arsenal as the head coach of the club’s Under-18s.

READ: Nine Arsenal heroes that left for free in the last decade

 

LW: Lukas Podolski (Yaya Sanogo, ‘61)

The ever-grinning forward left in 2015 after an unsuccessful loan spell with Inter Milan. He spent two years in Turkey with Galatasaray, then played alongside David Villa and Andres Iniesta at Japanese side Vissel Kobe, and is now seeing out his twilight years in Poland, scoring Puskas contenders for Gornik Zbarze.

But the outstanding thing about him is that he’s now a kebab shop entrepreneur, having opened up two in the city of Cologne.

Sanogo is still only 29 but is currently without a club. He was last seen at Huddersfield Town in 2021. He made nine appearances for the Terriers and scored no goals.

ST: Olivier Giroud

Arsenal fans will all too well know what the ludicrously handsome Frenchman is up to these days, after shining in France’s run to the World Cup final.

The final against Argentina wasn’t to be, but he’s still continuing to lift trophies, having played a key role in AC Milan’s Serie A triumph last term.

He also scored the opener against his former side for Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League final. The Blues went on to win 4-1.

 

 

 

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