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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that he did not witness the exact moment his team were confirmed as Premier League champions, and learned the news from his son instead.

The club’s first Premier League triumph in 22 years was sealed on Tuesday night when Bournemouth held Manchester City to a draw. The Arsenal squad had gathered at their London Colney training centre to watch the crucial moments unfold.

Although Arteta was initially supposed to join his players, he chose to head home around 20 minutes before the match and missed the live confirmation of Arsenal’s long-awaited title win.

“It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced,” Arteta shared. “I was supposed to be at the training ground with the lads and the staff, watching the game together because that’s what everyone wanted – but I just couldn’t stay.”

“Around 20 minutes before the match, I decided to leave. I didn’t feel I could provide the energy I wanted to, and I felt it was their moment to share and celebrate among themselves.”

He went on to describe the moment he found out about the victory: “I went home, went out into the garden, and started a barbecue. I didn’t watch any of it. Suddenly, I heard noises from the living room, and then the magic happened. My eldest son came running out into the garden, hugged me, and said: ‘We are Champions, daddy!’ It was a wonderful moment.”

Arteta’s side became Arsenal’s first Premier League title winners since the famous “Invincibles” of 2004, after finishing runners-up for three consecutive seasons.

The Spanish coach, who has been in charge since late 2019, has overseen a remarkable transformation in north London and was happy to let his players have the spotlight.

“It was the team’s moment,” he emphasised. “They needed to be themselves. If I had been there, it might not have felt the same. I think they truly enjoyed it, and we shared our own moment together a few hours later.”

“Your phone behaves very differently when you come second compared to when you win!” he joked. “That’s sport. It’s also a life lesson because the margins are so small – it can go either way. When you finally achieve it, you understand how huge it is, how much it means to so many people. Seeing the joy from our supporters around the world has been incredible.”

Arsenal will face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in their final Premier League fixture of the season on Sunday. The Gunners also have the chance to add another piece of silverware, with the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain set to take place nine days later.