Former Ivory Coast winger, Gervinho has revealed that playing for Arsenal was a dream come true and that he cried on the day he signed.
Arsene Wenger bought the Ivorian from Lille in 2011 after he had won 2 titles for the French club
He went on to make 63 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 11 goals in the process, but in that time, he was never really liked by the Arsenal faithful, mostly due to his inconsistency.
He also accused Arsene Wenger of not playing him in the right position
Gervinho spoke to the Guardian and said that his time at the Emirates was a dream come true.
“Arsenal are the team that have left the biggest mark on me, without a doubt. I lived a dream. Any kid who starts playing can’t help but to dream to play at a club like Arsenal,”
Gervinho added: “The day I signed I cried. I remember it like it was today: it was in 2011, I told all my family and was jumping for joy. It was a source of great pride to sign with a club like that.
“I didn’t lose my smile from the first to the last match at Arsenal. I remember when I left I wanted to thank everyone, even the dressing-room staff.”
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Gervinho was also part of the Ivory Coast team that won the Nations Cup in 2015 and he says it’s also an achievement he can never forget
“You must never forget where you came from. I was born in a tiny place in Ivory Coast, so being a protagonist in this life is a dream. I started playing football in Abidjan, my African town, without even having shoes on my feet,” he continued.
“I was lucky to go on to have a good life, thanks to my passion. I played in the club of my dreams, Arsenal. I won a league title and a French Cup.
“I brought the Africa Cup to the people of my country and felt like a hero. I had great champions as teammates and I think I have many years in my career ahead of me.
“I have no regrets, I just want to enjoy every moment, every action, every shot on goal, because all of a sudden one day it will all end and without football life is sad.
“When I grew up I had to play without boots. In Ivory Coast it’s very hard to have normal shoes, so just imagine football boots – they were considered a true luxury.”