Holy Arsenal: Are scriptures the secret playbook at the Emirates?

Something unusual is brewing at Arsenal, though not necessarily in a bad way. Away from Mikel Arteta’s tactical board, the Gunners are suddenly finding strength, not just in training drills, but in the Bible.

On and off the pitch, from pre-match routines to social media posts, scriptures are now popping up as part of the Arsenal story.

On Saturday, Arsenal brushed aside Nottingham Forest 3–0 at the City Ground, despite missing Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and William Saliba through injury, while Martin Odegaard limped off early. Yet, the Gunners barely missed a beat. Five of their eight summer signings started, and the £250m recruitment drive looked fully justified.

England international Noni Madueke was at the center of it all, tormenting Forest’s backline and topping the stats for chances created, dribbles, and duels won. But while his footwork made headlines, his off-pitch posts hinted at another side.

Hours after the win, Madueke dropped Joel 2:25 — the famous verse on restoration on Instagram. It wasn’t the first time either: in the past week alone, he has been quietly serving verses along with his stepovers. Five days ago, he dropped 1 Corinthians 15:58 on Instagram with a photo of himself in training.

Three days later, after another session, he posted Ecclesiastes 3:11 alongside a match picture.

He’s not alone. Teammate Jurrien Timber has also turned his page into a rolling devotional. Before the Forest clash, he quoted Proverbs 19:21 (NKJV): “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”

But Timber’s pattern runs even deeper. On August 31, it was Isaiah 60:22. A week before, Colossians 3:23. Back in May, John 20:29. And in April, Romans 5:2.

Then there’s Bukayo Saka, who has long worn his NSPPD wristband and never shies away from proclaiming Jesus openly.

Of course, faith in football is not new. From Kaka’s “I Belong to Jesus” shirt to Mohamed Salah bowing after goals, the pitch has always doubled as a stage for devotion. But at Arsenal, the frequency, the openness, and the timing of these verses now look like more than coincidence.

Pundits like Martin Keown called Saturday’s performance a “scary show of strength,” praising the depth Arteta has built with Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, and Eberechi Eze all shining. But alongside the tactical depth, another strength seems to be quietly binding the squad, which is the scriptures.

Whether it’s personal conviction, quiet bonding, or an unspoken team ritual, Arsenal’s 2025 campaign has kicked off with both goals and gospel.

Anyway, the question lingers: are Arsenal players just sharing their faith or have they quietly made scripture their secret playbook?