He’s as decisive about his fashion choices as he is about tactics on the pitch – just don’t ask him to abandon his sartorial superstitions
In football, assistants are very much part of the rank and file: anything other than a tracksuit would send the wrong message. But when you become the gaffer? Then you can wear what you want.
Wool suit, £2,500, and poplin shirt, £510, both Dior; calf shoes, £595, Joseph Cheaney & Sons; socks, his own
Pure class – at least until they disagree with a penalty decision – they wear austere, neatly put-together medleys of greys, blacks and whites, whether that’s a bespoke Italian suit or a cashmere jumper and wool trousers, and the now-ubiquitous monochrome leather ‘manager trainer’.
The Arteta method
He has never been as explicit on the non-negotiables of his personal wardrobe, but today, in the bar of a photo studio in north London, he is giving it his best. ‘I do pay attention to what I wear. I like to be comfortable, I like to be classy… and I don’t like noisy clothes. I am picky about what clothes feel like. I like cashmere. Comfy and elegant.’
But he likes fashion, and he shops, or is shopped for, often. Those who observe these things have noted a particular inclination towards modern Italian luxury: Giorgio Armani, Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, Zegna, Prada… The emphasis appears to be on consistent, high-end simplicity.
Creature of habit
He is an early riser, occasionally catching the worm at 4.30am, and likes to either have breakfast with his wife, Lorena, and their three sons (Gabriel, 13, Daniel, 10 and seven-year-old Oliver), or more often head straight out to open Arsenal’s Hertfordshire training ground himself – after which he will go for a walk or sit in his office in blissful silence. ‘I like to have that peace and control and space to think about what’s going to happen that day or that week.’
Hospital flashbacks
Peace and control are concepts Arteta returns to time and time again, yet his life began with neither.
He was born with a heart defect that needed immediate attention but couldn’t be resolved until he was two, when he underwent what was, at the time, one of the first open heart surgeries of its kind in Spain. He still has a large scar running north to south along his sternum.
All or Nothing
These days, he and Lorena have deliberately tried to make different friends, mainly through their sons’ school. ‘I just want other circles in my life, not just football. Some of them haven’t got a clue [who I am], and that’s really good. They don’t have an opinion of you, so they make the effort to get to know you and the quality of that relationship is better.’
Last season Arsenal were trailed by Amazon Prime cameras filming All or Nothing, a fly-on-the-wall documentary series about the Arteta revolution. In one episode (he has never watched it) last year Arteta was seen at home barbecuing while casually offering some commentary on his sons’ football skills.
‘I make barbecues all year round, I did one two days ago. We put chorizos on there, different cuts of meat, Argentinian cheeses… I just like building a proper fire: it takes 40 to 50 minutes. The kids are around, the sound of the fire, we’re all keeping warm next to it. I love that moment.’
Page turning
He’s also an avid reader, and tries to spend 45 minutes a day learning about a different subject that will help him in his day job. Anyone who has seen his now-viral team talks, some of which include miniature historical lectures delivered with remarkable gusto, will know this. Currently on the pile is Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment.
