Sports
Stan Kroenke tells ‘wonderfully rabid’ fans: He’s about winning trophies and not money
Stan Kroenke has told Arsenal’s “wonderfully rabid” fans: I am about winning trophies, not making money.
American tycoon Kroenke is strong and ambitious in his vision for the Gunners, and insists there are easier ways to rake in cash than owning a football club.
The 70-year-old has outlined his vision for the club to the Mirror as he promised:
* He will NEVER sell Arsenal — the Premier League giants will remain in his family for generations.
* They can win major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League.
* Arsene Wenger is the best man for the job — and they regularly text each other.
* The thought of his Gunners lifting silverware is what drives him on.
Kroenke will face shareholders on Thursday at the club’s AGM, after a roller-coaster year when some fans turned on the ownership and the manager.
It is an issue which he addressed head-on in an exclusive interview with the Mirror, insisting the fan backlash was both good and bad last season.
“Sports fans are wonderful,” said Kroenke, who also owns professional American football, ice-hockey, basketball, Major League Soccer and lacrosse teams back home.
“The best thing is the rabid fans… the worst thing is the rabid fans.
“They are passionate about the club, they have the right to their opinions and the only part I worry about is how it affects the players and the coaching staff. It can have a bad effect on that group and that’s the last group you want it to have a bad effect upon.
“That’s how I look at it.
“They always have opinions, they are certainly entitled to them… I know there were some opinions about what we should do about Arsene. But we have always had a lot of respect for Arsene.”
Arsenal director Josh Kroenke, Stan’s son, added: “We said jokingly that the best and worst part is the fans’ passion. From an ownership standpoint, the emotions that are involved — we as fans feel that range of emotions as well.”
Kroenke Snr then interjected, laughing: “We might feel the same way…!”
What came across very clearly in two hours spent in the company of the duo was their passion and love for the club and their determination to make Arsenal successful.
Stan chatted to Lee Dixon at Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Norwich, while Josh sat with Sol Campbell.
They enjoy being immersed in the traditions and history of the club. Both got emotional when talking about Wenger’s record-breaking seventh FA Cup win in May.
They throw open the doors to fans and shareholders each year at the club’s AGM.
It is the third time Stan Kroenke has spoken to Mirror Sport, while other owners of major clubs, such as Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich and the Glazers at Manchester United, have remained silent.
Kroenke, who owns a 67.1 per cent stake in Arsenal, has reiterated his commitment to the club and insisted he is simply not interested in selling.
Alisher Usmanov, who owns 30 per cent, made an offer in May. But there has not been any serious contact since.
Kroenke said: “There are a lot of easier ways, so many easier ways, to make money, I assure you! You guys talk about the downs, maybe that’s the nature of it, but if you’re just trying to make money there are a lot easier ways to do it.
“If you look at our history – just go look at our history. We get into these things to try to build them, to try to grow them. You don’t see us selling things. You just don’t. Go and check us. We are committed long-term.”
When pressed if they would ever consider selling the Gunners, Kroenke added: “No, absolutely not. That’s just not our model, not what we do. I’m at a stage in life where what good does that do?
“I love Arsenal, love being involved with Arsenal. There is no finer feeling that going out and winning, like we did with the FA Cup. There’s no finer feeling — wonderful, wonderful feeling.”
Josh added: “We’re talking the day after the Los Angeles Rams (the NFL team the Kroenkes own) won, the terminology is always funny for me. In basketball, it’s the locker-room. Ice hockey is the dressing-room, it’s the same for football over here and there are few things as fun going down to a dressing-room and feeling that mood.
“Whether it’s the FA Cup or just a big win. The feeling is contagious and it makes you want to keep doing it.”
Stan interjected again: “There’s nothing else like it. That whole afternoon and evening, we talked about what happened on the pitch. That whole evening – how wonderful was that?
“Once you have that feeling, you want it again because there’s nothing else like that. You hear people say: ‘I’d do anything to have that again.’ Believe me, that’s how you feel. You really want that feeling again.
“Look, we want to be champions of everything. Premier League, Champions League – we want them all. When they list them on my phone, they list a third one, they list the FA Cup: Arsenal. Right there; that’s your list of champions.
“We shouldn’t sell that short. Do we want to win more? Absolutely. We want them. We have to do better but don’t sell short the FA Cup and Arsene’s record setting.
“His record of consistency through 20 years. We did fall out of the Champions League but with four more points than finishing second. It’s competitive and arguably more competitive.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
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