‘I loved the Emirates. I know that stadium like the back of my hand – where the sun goes down and at what time’ Hector Bellerin on his love affair with Arsenal

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The Spanish defender spent a decade in north London

Hector Bellerin in action for Arsenal
Hector Bellerin in action for Arsenal (Image credit: PA Images)

Hector Bellerin made his Arsenal debut as an 18-year-old in September 2013, when he came off the bench at West Bromwich Albion in a League Cup victory.

Over the next nine years, he would turn out another 238 times for the club, winning three FA Cups under Arsene Wenger, before playing under his former team-mate Mikel Arteta after Unai Emery’s short stint in the dugout.

Bellerin’s Arsenal journey began when he left Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy to sign for the Gunners as a 16-year-old and he admits that this move to the UK was the making of him as both a player and a person.

Bellerin reflects on his Arsenal journey

Hector Bellerin

Bellerin made more than 200 appearances for the Gunners (Image credit: PA)

“I was very inexperienced in both football and life,” he tells FourFourTwo when quizzed about his arrival in north London. “I feel that the UK made me an adult and a professional, experienced player. Most of my growth happened in London.

“I was really lucky that the years I spent there, I had great team-mates and coaches, and opportunities to play top-level football. That was probably the most important part of my development as a person and as a player.”

Hector Bellerin spent nine years in the Gunners first-team

Hector Bellerin spent nine years in the Gunners first-team

Now 30, Bellerin is back in Spain with Betis, but he still looks back at his time at Arsenal fondly.

“I feel very nostalgic about it,” he continues. “I’ve been receiving so much love from Arsenal fans lately, which is beautiful.

“I went to London 18 months ago and bumped into loads of Arsenal fans. Even in Barcelona when I go to music festivals, there are always people wearing Arsenal shirts.

“The interactions I have with them truly fill me with joy. There are no negative thoughts at all about my experience over there, even though I went through tough times.”

Arsene Wenger

Bellerin excelled under Arsene Wenger (Image credit: Future)

Bellrin also has happy memories of his former stamping ground. “I loved the Emirates,” he continues. “Some of my favourite matches I’ve ever played were there. I know that stadium like the back of my hand – where the sun goes down and at what time.

“Man, I had so many great Champions League nights, and Premier League games with Spurs, Liverpool and Manchester United.”

Joe Mewis
Joe Mewis

For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.

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