The end of Arsene Wenger’s 22-year Association with Arsenal, from 1996 to 2018, seems to have marked the end of Arsenal players’ involvement with the French national team. When France won the European Championships in 2000, their squad included six players who either played or would play under Wenger at Arsenal.
The 23-man squad announced by France reveals that for the first time in 22 years, France will go to a major tournament without an Arsenal player. This goes to some extent to tell on the impact of Arsene Wenger in North London. Had Olivier Giroud not been sold to Chelsea in January, the trend (of having an Arsenal player in the French squad) would have continued at this year’s World Cup in Russia.