Arsenal legend remains cautious about Premier League title hopes

Former defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva expects his former club, Arsenal, to have a great season, but refrains from predicting a Premier League title.

Gilberto Silva is currently in Vietnam for a promotional event. He mentioned that this is his first time in Ho Chi Minh City and he's impressed by the friendliness of the Vietnamese people. He expressed his desire to explore more of the country.

Gilberto Silva wears a traditional Vietnamese conical hat while interacting with fans on Le Loi Street, Ho Chi Minh City, on the afternoon of 2/8. Photo: Duc Dong

Despite the hot weather, the 49-year-old legend remained cheerful and engaging with fans. When asked about Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League in the 2025-2026 season, Gilberto was noncommittal.

"I'm very optimistic that this will be a great season for Arsenal. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season, to see new players like Martin Zubimendi, Jokic, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and others," Gilberto said. "I think everyone is eager to see them play and give the team a big boost from the beginning to the end of the season. And I hope in the end, they will win the trophies everyone is expecting."

Gilberto joined Arsenal in 2002, following an impressive performance with Brazil in their World Cup victory in South Korea and Japan. The midfielder, born in 1976, played a total of 244 matches, scoring 24 goals. He was a key player in the "Gunners" squad that won the Premier League title undefeated in the 2003-2004 season and the FA Cup in 2003 and 2005.

Gilberto is considered an "unsung hero" of Arsenal, known for his consistent, solid, and dedicated playing style. He also holds the record for the second-fastest goal in Champions League history, scoring against PSV Eindhoven in the 20.07th second on 25/9/2002. After six years with Arsenal, he moved to Panathinaikos (Greece). In 2011, he returned to his native Brazil, playing for Gremio and Mineiro for two years before retiring in 2013.

Gilberto Silva participates in a Vietnamese children's game on Le Loi Street, Ho Chi Minh City, on the afternoon of 2/8. Photo: Duc Dong

Joining Gilberto at the OMO "Dirty Fortress" event were Vietnamese striker Nguyen Tien Linh and young football players. Tien Linh shared that Gilberto is his idol and expressed his hope for advice from the legend regarding the football dreams of Vietnamese players. The former Brazilian star emphasized the importance of perseverance and nurturing one's dreams.

"As you know, anything we want to do in life, whether it's becoming a doctor, a lawyer, or if you play sports, football, everything is very difficult, you have to work really hard. The first thing to remember is to try your best; nothing comes naturally. You must have discipline and focus on what you want to do, what you want to achieve," he said.

The former Brazilian star stressed that sometimes things don't go smoothly, sometimes there are failures, but the most important thing is to do everything possible, the best possible. "If we don't achieve our dream of becoming a professional player, we can still become successful because we have tried to learn," he added.