News

‘What a day… it couldn’t have started any better'

Alexandre Lacazette announced himself to our fans by scoring just two minutes into his Arsenal debut - but he is not the only one to have made an immediate impression.

Joining us from Atletico Mineiro after winning the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, Gilberto netted the winner just 24 minutes after coming on against Liverpool in the Community Shield.

“It was a fantastic day,” the former midfielder told Arsenal Player. “What a day for me. I could not have started any better. As it was, I came off the bench and scored the winning goal against Liverpool in the Community Shield. 

“The funny thing is, when I say to my friends about this first game for Arsenal, because I didn’t know what represented a tough game, how big the game was, I couldn’t speak the language so I thought, ‘OK, we are going to a game against Liverpool, it’s fine, it’s part of the preparation’. 

“When we finished the game, everyone started celebrating and I asked, ‘What’s this?’ They said, ‘We’ve won the Community Shield and it’s this massive competition here’. ‘OK,’ I said, ‘Let’s dance!’”