Mikel Merino is spot on, former Arsenal player has become a ‘legend’ after what he’s done for his country

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Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has identified one of his former teammates as a legend after what unfolded over the international break.

The November international break was an eventful time for Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta was handed two new injury concerns.

Gabriel Magalhaes could be out for up to two months with a groin injury after being withdrawn during Brazil’s friendly against Senegal at the Emirates.

The break in domestic action hasn’t all been doom and gloom, however, as one former Gunner experienced one of the highest points of his career.

Kieran Tierney sent Scotland to the World Cup with a superb goal in injury time against Denmark, and it’s fair to say that his former teammates were impressed.

Mikel Merino calls Kieran Tierney a legend after securing Scotland’s World Cup place

Tierney has had a really tough time since leaving Arsenal as a free agent to sign for Celtic in the summer.

The defender’s time at the Emirates was overshadowed by injury, but those in N5 recognised the Scotsman for so much more than his unavailability.

The reaction to Tierney’s goal against Scotland only reinforces such, as on Instagram, several of his ex-Arsenal teammates flooded the comment section to applaud the defender. 

Mikel Merino summed up what everyone is thinking about Tierney, dubbing the 28-year-old a ‘legend’, as Ian Wright and Jurrien Timber also joined in.

‘Deserved’, Riccardo Calafiori wrote, which was a similar message to one left by Arsenal photographer Stuart MacFarlane.

In his own post, MacFarlane wrote, ‘Nobody deserves this more’, to which Tierney replied with an emoji of a red heart.

Mikel Arteta knew Kieran Tierney would leave a legacy

Merino is right, Tierney is a legend, with his goal being a part of Scottish football history forever, sending the Tartan Army to the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

That night at Hampden Park, Tierney’s name was written into Scottish history, and while it was a fairytale, it wasn’t something that Arteta would be surprised about.

Speaking in January 2021 after Arsenal’s 4-0 win over West Brom, Arteta heavily praised Tierney, recognising something different about the then 23-year-old.

“I think he can [become Arsenal captain], because he has the respect and the admiration of every member of the staff and every player,” the Arsenal manager said. 

“It’s just the way he is, he does it in a natural way. He’s a shy boy, but I think he represents all of the values we want to instil and that are in the DNA of this club.”

Arteta always knew there was something about Tierney that would set him apart from others, and when his moment came to send his country to the World Cup, he showed just that.