he's unluky spain was packed in the midfield: xavi, iniesta, silva, busquets, alonso, mata and fabregas at their peak.

Despite Spain having phenomenal midfielders in that period nobody could say he didn't deserve at least 20 caps between 2006 and 2016!

Spanish Midfielders from that generation (to name a few) : Iniesta Xavi Busquets Alonso Fabregas Silva Cazorla

One of the greatest players that didn't play for their country, he actually nearly played for England aswell.

THE gift which keeps on giving

I’m expecting people to comment saying he is going to be the manager of Spain in the future...

Sky Sports Retro is actually the best channel on KZfaq

He was born in the wrong generation tbh, no one can get into the first team with the likes of Xavi, Intiesta, busquets, silva to name a few that Spain team had

Will one day manage the Spain National team, life has a funny way of things happening like that. And he’s the one picking the squad.

"Even if its just one day..."

Not even a 5 minute sub appearance in a friendly against San Marino.... you expect lower division players to be called up for these games, no matter how good the main team is.

He went unnoticed a lot because he was in a struggling Arsenal team in which he did the dirty job nobody wanted, at the same time there was a ridiculously good Spanish generation of midfielders, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Sergio Busquets, Santi Cazorla, Juan Mata... it was a battle to even get a call up before even beginning to dream about a first team start, all that being said I do think he could’ve gotten more than one call up but at the time the managers seemed to favor players playing on the spanish league. It was highly regarded at the time. Anyways, glad to see him do well as a manager now...

My favourite outside of xavi and iniesta was xabi Alonso he literally was first team player for spain and ended his career at top level with bayern class player.

He looks like a nice and smart guy, he is fit to be manager for a club like arsenal in the future

Everybody talks about the amount of right backs England have today but imagine tryna break into that Spain midfield from 08-019😅😅

Any other nation in that time he would've played a lot of games just unlucky that Spain had the Barcelona midfield, Silva, Fabregas, Cazorla just to name a few

Mikel looks like an intelligent guy. I think he will be the manager of Arsenal football club some day.

Well, he manages Arsenal football club and has done well so far .. il take those odds over playing with Spain any day of the week and twice on Sunday

Not that anyone cares, but, this clip has finally made me an Arteta fan. I didn’t know he didn’t get to play for Spain’s first team. I’ve heard he could have played for England.

Best manager in the league atm

Don't worry he'll probably end up managing Spain at one point. Massive potential as a manager

Hope Artera can be the Spain National Team Head Coach one day

I miss Santi

He has such a different aura and personality when he speaks in spinach

He was a good player I never understand why he didn’t make to Spain national team

Even though one could argue that there were "better players" in his position, Arteta absolutely deserved some calls up to the national team! There's a period of about three seasons when he was one of the best midfielders in England! And for a certain period he was arguably the best midfielder in England! He definitely deserved a chance. Unfortunately it didn't happen,but on the positive side, he is on a journey to become one of the greatest managers of all time!

Man hasn't aged a day damn

too good for spain

He deserved to be called up there. Sadly, Spain were packed with also great players. Maybe one day when he leaves Arsenal, he can manage the Spain National team.

Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Javi Martinez, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Silva, Mata, Cazorla all in their prime... bad luck for Arteta

Santi should be assistant coach

Im not a Spanish speaker but they seem to have two different accents?

Arteta voice sound different when he speaks Spanish .....as if it was another person .......

That's sad how did he never play for spain even after he won premier league midfielder of the year award

Even Santi cazorla himself didn't have enough international caps n he was better than arteta. But that doesnt change the fact that he has been a revelation since being appointed as arsenal manager.

This has aged well

so they don't call me to play for spain? 2030: imma gon make spain manager ma self

Would've easily gotten into the England squad

he looks exactly like these days

maybe spain head coach .

He at least did get one cap though right?

He was eligible to play for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 cause he was playing in the country for more than 5 years and also it stipulates that if he does not get called up by his birth country which is Spain 🇪🇸 he could have played for the 3 lions 🦁 and maybe he could have been the captain too help England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 win the World 🌍 cup what could have been

if you think about it, During the prime years of Cazorla and Arteta, there no other national team that will turn down their talent (if they are eligible for them). Germany? yes, they will be the first team choice. France? Yes, they will be the first team choice. Brazil? Yes they will be the first team choice. England? OF COURSE they will be the first team choice. Only spain had the talent pool so big that these two masters have to be shadowed and bench by their national teammates. Not to mention the likes of Mata who is also another example of talent not being called up.

He'll manage spain and win them a world cup

Seems like Spain doesn't take alot of PL players. Why??

Didn’t he want to play for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 I swear Gerrard objected

Second

Man Arteta was just unlucky if you talk about national games

first

I hope this guy manages Arsenal one day and at least wins a trophy, looks like a top bloke

I think he s so hot hahah why 😭

arteta was massive at everton but nothing like nothing at all at arsenal. the only reason he was made arsenal manager was in recognition of his work at everton. spain? not even in his dreams.

FFS Arteta speaking Spanish is the only thing > Arteta speaking English. Want to hear him saying non negotiables in Spanish 😂😂😂

Not surprising. Just not as good as the others in that generation, takes nothing away from what he achieved as a player and now as a manager.

Arteta look like lost kid being saved

Does... does this dude simply not age or something? He literally looks the same. Even his hair.

Average player. Average manager.