Arteta’s Arsenal have striking parallels with Southgate’s England

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta started his managerial career facing comparisons with Pep Guardiola before more recently being likened to José Mourinho.The Guardiola link was inevitable, a product of their friendship dating back to 1997. Arteta first met his idol at the Barcelona academy before working under him at Manchester City for three years as a coach. They view the sport the same way, and Arteta’s Arsenal would look to embody many of the same traits.The parallel with Mourinho is a more recent occurrence, a consequence of the Gunners’ evolution into a physically imposing side primarily founded on resolute defending.But that note of conservatism within their composition this season brings Arteta to a point analogous with a third manager: Gareth Southgate.- Premier League depth charts for most popular teams: Who is key? – Bellingham is officially England’s best player. Why was he dropped? – Kane is tearing up the Bundesliga. What’s next for England’s No. 9?Arteta in 2025-26 is in a remarkably similar position to then-England boss Southgate at Euro 2024. Both managers took over teams in a disparate state, restored their culture and credibility on the biggest stage and had come agonizingly close to delivering the major trophy their fanbases crave. The final test is this: Can the team that you’ve admirably transformed into a powerful force seize the moment and win silverware?A lot of managers talk about cultural change, but few actually achieve it. Southgate inherited an England team that had just suffered one of the worst results in its history by losing to Iceland at Euro 2016, which was Roy Hodgson’s final game in charge. To compound the mess, Sam Allardyce lasted just 67 days as his successor before being caught up in a newspaper sting revealing his apparent willingness to advise on circumventing Football Association rules on transfers.Essentially, the England team was broken. Players felt the weight of the shirt and history on their shoulders. Southgate stepped in as a young manager inexperienced at the highest level, hoping to draw on his experience as a former England player of 57 caps.