Arsenal have finally ended their long wait for the Premier League title, but not every player in Mikel Arteta’s squad is automatically guaranteed to win the trophy.
That may sound strange when football is a team sport, but the Premier League rules are very clear: a player must make at least five appearances in the league in a title-winning season to be guaranteed a medal.
That requirement used to be seen 10 times before it was dropped.
Arsenal are officially champions for the first time since 2004 after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth ended the title race.
The Gunners will lift the trophy after the final league game against Crystal Palace, but after the celebrations, the trophy situation creates an interesting subplot.
The Arsenal goalkeeper missed out on the winners’ medal
The top player at risk of being automatically missed is Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to Sport Bible.
The Spanish goalkeeper joined Arsenal from Chelsea for around £5 million and has made 11 appearances this season, but most of those appearances have come in cup competitions.
In the Premier League, he did not appear at all because David Raya has always been there in goals and won the Golden Glove.
That puts Arsenal in an unusual position. It is clear that Kepa was part of the team, trained throughout the season, traveled with the team and was involved behind the scenes.
But because he didn’t play in the league, he doesn’t meet the requirements to win a medal.
Another name mentioned is 16-year-old defender Marli Salmon. He has played four times in all competitions, but none in the Premier League.
That means he’s also automatically ineligible. For a young player, that’s not exactly a disaster.
Being in a team that wins the title at 16 is already a great experience. But it still shows how strict the awards rules can be.
The Premier League awards 40 trophies to champions, and clubs can award them to players, managers and officials as they see fit.
However, every player who has played at least five league games must get one first.
Hackers can ask for more rewards
Additional awards beyond the given number require the approval of the Premier League Board and are usually only awarded in certain circumstances.
He may not have played in the league, but backup goalkeepers are part of the locker room every day. They push No.1, prepare seriously, keep the standards high and always have one unnecessary injury.
Kepa should be seen if possible. Arsenal’s success was built on the full squad, not just the players who featured every week.
A Premier League trophy will be a great reward for being part of the team that finally brought the title back to North London.
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