Thomas Vermaelen has revealed the contrasting emotions he went through during Saturday's FA Cup final.
The club captain watched from the bench as Arsenal come back from 2-0 down to beat Hull City after extra time, before leading the side up the Wembley steps to lift the trophy.
The Belgium defender believes winning a trophy can be the launchpad for more silverware in the coming seasons.
"It was all worth it and it was unbelievable after so many years we've finally lifted something"
Thomas Vermaelen
"There has been a lot of talking about not winning for a long time but next year the pressure will be there again to win things," Vermaelen said.
"That's what the people expect from us, the club expect from us, the fans expect so of course it will give us a boost and a lot of confidence over the next few years.
"It was unbelievable. When you're on the bench it's even worse. When you are playing, you are focused on the game. When you are on the bench you have a lot of nerves because you can't do anything.
"It went into extra time so it wasn't easy. It was all worth it and it was unbelievable after so many years we've finally lifted something.
"It was a great feeling for a player. That's what you're working for, to lift trophies. It was a long game and a long day but it was all worth it."
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