Former Arsenal Star Gifts "The Invincibles Shirt" to New York Mayor Zahraan Mamdani After Surprising Statement

Former French international Pascal Cygan, a former Arsenal defender, presented one of his shirts from the historic unbeaten season of 2003-2004 to New York Mayor Zahraan Mamdani, after unexpected statements in which the latter showed special appreciation for Cygan and two other teammates.

During his appearance on the "Adam Friedland Podcast," Mamdani surprised the audience when he mentioned that Pascal Cygan, Marouane Chamakh, and Sebastian Squillaci are among the players who helped shape his love for Arsenal, confirming that he thinks about them "every morning," even though they are not among the club's most prominent stars throughout its history.

Cygan: "I didn't expect someone of his stature to mention me"

Cygan responded to this gesture with clear emotion, expressing his appreciation that Mamdani chose names that are far from the list of Arsenal's first-tier stars, such as Thierry Henry, Bergkamp, and Vieira, stating that the mayor's choice of these players "reflects true loyalty and sincere love for the club."

Cygan added:

> "It's amazing that someone of such importance in the world speaks about me and my teammates with such fondness. What he said made me one of the happiest men."



The French defender confirmed that the trio was never "a failure or unknown," but rather professional players who gave their all, considering that hearing late appreciation after nearly 20 years is exceptional.

A Precious Gift from a Historic Season

In a touching gesture of thanks, Cygan decided to gift Mamdani one of his original shirts worn during matches of the 2003-2004 season, the season in which Arsenal achieved its legendary feat of winning the Premier League without any defeat, confirming that he presented the shirt "without expecting anything in return."