Less than 18 hours after the heartbreak of Budapest. Less than 18 hours after Gabriel’s penalty sailed wide and PSG lifted the Champions League trophy at the Puskas Arena. And yet — somehow — North London didn’t just show up on Sunday. North London erupted.
Between 750,000 and one million Arsenal fans packed the streets of Islington for the Gunners’ Premier League trophy parade, turning a bittersweet Sunday afternoon into one of the most electric celebrations English football has ever seen. That’s not hyperbole. That’s just what happened.
The Bus, The Trophy, The Moment
At precisely 2:15pm BST, the open-top bus pulled away from the Emirates Stadium — emblazoned with the words “Champions 25/26” — and North London lost its collective mind.
Captain Martin Odegaard was the first man aboard, Premier League trophy held aloft, grinning like a man who hadn’t just suffered a shootout defeat the night before. Behind him came the squad, the staff, and — on a third bus — the Arsenal women’s team, parading the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup they’d claimed back in February. Four buses in total, with a DJ-led champions truck setting the tone at the front.
The 5.6-mile route weaved through the heart of Islington — down Holloway Road, through Seven Sisters Road, Blackstock Road, Green Lanes, Essex Road, and Upper Street — and every single metre of it was absolutely rammed.
Declan Rice Rapping Is Something We All Needed
In what is already a strong contender for moment of the year, Declan Rice grabbed a microphone on the bus and rapped “Ice Ice Baby” to a crowd of hundreds of thousands. Full voice. Zero shame. Absolutely immaculate.
He then put the mic to more serious use, delivering a message that gave every Gooner goosebumps: “I love this team, I love the manager. To see the joy we can give people, it’s crazy. But next year — we’re coming back for more. You heard it here first. Lock in or get locked out.”
Needless to say, the crowd went feral.
The Scenes Were Genuinely Unhinged (In the Best Way)
Red smoke from thousands of flares turned the north London sky a deep crimson. Fans climbed lamp posts, perched on bus stop rooftops, and hung out of windows just to catch a glimpse of their heroes rolling past. Emergency services had to rescue around 75 people who got themselves stuck in elevated positions. Finsbury Park station had to be temporarily shut due to sheer overcrowding.
Police arrested 16 people, and a crime scene was established after a stabbing on Hornsey Road — a sobering note amid the chaos. But for the vast majority, it was simply one of the greatest days of their footballing lives.
Champions In Spite of Everything
The backdrop to all of this, of course, was the agony of Budapest just hours earlier. Kai Havertz had given Arsenal an early lead. Ousmane Dembele’s penalty levelled it. Then Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed in the shootout, and PSG retained the Champions League.
But you wouldn’t have known any of that watching the parade. Gabriel and Eze were spotted in good spirits on the bus. Arteta smiled broadly, waving to fans the whole way around. Young defender Myles Lewis-Skelly summed up the mood perfectly: “Thank you — and we’re not done.”
Arsenal are Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. And from the looks of Sunday, they’re just getting started. 🔴
