It’s July 13, 1998, and the front page of the Daily Mirror is adorned with the headline “Arsenal win the World Cup”.
Rewinding slightly to May 1998 and after clinching our first Premier League and FA Cup double, midfield duo Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit are heading to a home World Cup with France full of confidence and looking to create history.
No French side had ever gone all the way before, but with two rocks in the centre of the park, the mood was high in the European nation.
Back in 2006, Patrick and Emmanuel spoke with Jon Spurling to reminisce about their marvellous 1998, and the impact it had.
The duo started a combined 63 Premier League matches in the 1997/98 season as Arsene Wenger’s side pipped Manchester United thanks to a sensational second half of the season.
The French midfielders also started the FA Cup final too, walking out at the old Wembley as we downed Newcastle United 2-0 to clinch our famous double.
But the pair had under a month to start preparing for a home World Cup, and with a first group game against South Africa kicking off on June 12, it was a tight turnaround.
“After winning the double with Arsenal, it took me a while to switch off from the league season and focus my thoughts on the World Cup,” Patrick told Spurling in 2006.
“Many French people live in multicultural communities. So many of us in ‘98 came from different backgrounds. As Arsenal supporters never tired of telling me, my roots were in Senegal.”
“After the season we had with Arsenal, you’re just flying. You want the games to keep coming. It was a remarkable summer,” Emmanuel added.
And the midfielder wasn’t wrong; the games kept on coming as he started in the wins over South Africa and Denmark in the group stages, netting in the latter as part of a 2-1 victory. Patrick also had his part to play, lining-up alongside Emmanuel versus the Danes to help France top the group.
Knockout wins over Paraguay, Italy and Croatia followed for Les Bleus, with Petit starting all three, to set up a showdown with defending World Cup champs Brazil at the Stade de France, in Paris.
Two goals from Zinedine Zidane set France on their way, before a moment of history as Vieira set up Petit in stoppage time for the final act of a memorable World Cup.
“Winning it reaffirmed the best of multicultural France and elevated us to heroes. It was a childhood dream,” Patrick recalled. “Setting up Manu for the final goal was a dream come true after the season we had at Arsenal. I’m so glad it didn’t go the other side of the post!”
“Winning it like that, at home, elevated French football to a new level,” Manu added.
“Patrick and I were in sync on the pitch. It was a beautiful moment (when he put me in). It was for France and maybe a little bit for Arsenal too.”
The World Cup, off the back of a historic double, is an achievement that hasn’t been replicated by our players since.
People flooded onto the streets of Paris and beyond as the outpouring of joy unfolded across the nation.
Vieira said: “Seeing the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Élysées lit up in French colours was beyond our wildest dreams. It was then that it struck me what I’d achieved in just a few months with Arsenal and France.”
Petit added: “France wasn’t regarded as a naturally big football country until then. Not like a Brazil or an Argentina or an Italy. It’s hard to compare the emotion and adrenaline rush with scoring in that kind of game.”
And the national newspaper headline back in England? Petit certainly took notice.
“That headline in the Mirror was it? ‘Arsenal win the World Cup.’ We were so proud, Patrick and me.”
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