Kepa Arrizabalaga: Why the Arsenal goalkeeper could miss out on a Premier League winners’ medal

For the first time in 22 years, Arsenal are champions of England once again after officially securing the 2025-26 Premier League title on May 19 when Manchester City failed to defeat Bournemouth, confirming that Mikel Arteta had completed one of the most remarkable rebuilds in modern English football.

The Spaniard, who was appointed in 2019 to restore Arsenal’s identity and competitiveness, has now delivered the club’s first league crown since the famous Invincibles campaign of 2003-04.

For supporters, the celebrations are simple as Arsenal lift the trophy, players collect medals and the club finally returns to the summit of English football after more than two decades of waiting, but behind the scenes the process of deciding who officially receives a Premier League winners’ medal is far more complicated.

While many members of Arsenal’s squad are guaranteed recognition under Premier League rules, others now find themselves in a grey area where contributions to the title-winning season may not automatically result in a medal.

What are the Premier League medal rules?

Under Rule C.13 of the Premier League handbook, the champions receive 40 commemorative medals to distribute among players, coaching staff and club officials, although there is a strict eligibility requirement attached to automatic qualification because any player who has made at least five Premier League appearances during the title-winning campaign is guaranteed a medal.

The rule previously required 10 appearances before being reduced to five from the 2012-13 season onwards, while additional medals can only be approved by the Premier League Board if more than 39 players reach the required appearance threshold, something that is not expected to affect Arsenal this season.

Although the regulation appears straightforward, it often creates difficult situations involving reserve goalkeepers, academy players and squad members who contributed significantly behind the scenes without accumulating enough league appearances.

Arsenal players guaranteed medals

The vast majority of Arteta’s first-team squad comfortably surpassed the five-match requirement and are therefore guaranteed Premier League winners’ medals, while Arsenal’s younger players have also played meaningful roles during the campaign.

Teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri officially qualifies after making six Premier League appearances before departing on loan to Marseille during the second half of the season, with Premier League regulations confirming that appearances made before a loan move still count towards medal eligibility.

Nwaneri’s inclusion carries symbolic importance because of his emergence as one of the standout products of Arsenal’s Hale End academy under Arteta’s leadership.

Teenage sensation Max Dowman also qualifies automatically after reaching the five-appearance threshold, becoming the youngest Premier League title winner in history.

The players in the grey area

The more complicated debate surrounds players who contributed to Arsenal’s title-winning campaign without officially meeting the required appearance threshold.

Backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is perhaps the highest-profile example after failing to make a Premier League appearance behind first-choice goalkeeper David Raya despite remaining a regular presence within Arsenal’s matchday and training environments throughout the season.

Third-choice goalkeeper Tommy Setford faces a similar situation after featuring only in domestic cup competitions, meaning neither player is technically guaranteed a medal under Premier League regulations.

In practice, however, clubs almost always use discretionary medals to reward reserve goalkeepers and trusted squad members whose importance extends beyond minutes played on the pitch, as goalkeepers often play vital roles within training sessions, tactical preparation and dressing-room leadership despite limited competitive opportunities, and Arsenal are still expected to recognise both players for their contributions to the campaign.

There are also academy stories attracting attention, with young defender Marli Salmon emerging as one of the most interesting names in discussions surrounding Arsenal’s medal allocation after spending time around first-team squads during the season without making a Premier League appearance, leaving him outside the automatic qualification criteria.

For academy players, the distinction can feel particularly harsh because many regularly train with senior players, travel during injury crises and help maintain squad depth throughout the campaign without ever receiving enough opportunities on the pitch to satisfy official regulations, which is why discretionary medals remain so important.

Arsenal are expected to have enough medals available to reward academy players, coaches, analysts, medical staff and support personnel who contributed to the title-winning campaign behind the scenes.

A medal represents more than appearances

The debate surrounding Premier League medals often highlights a wider question within modern football: should medals reward appearances alone, or contribution in a broader sense?

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp previously criticised the appearance threshold by arguing that every player involved in a title-winning squad deserves recognition regardless of minutes played, and Arsenal’s season perhaps illustrates that argument perfectly.

This title was not built solely by the players starting matches every weekend because it was also shaped by academy prospects challenging senior internationals in training, reserve goalkeepers maintaining competitive standards and support staff sustaining Arteta’s demanding environment throughout the campaign.

Some Arsenal players will receive medals automatically under Premier League regulations, while others may receive them through the club’s discretion, but after ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League title, Arsenal’s triumph belongs to far more people than just the starting XI.

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