Arsenal supporters at Sherikat fans base in Juba. Phot Credit: Arsenal fans, Sherikat base.

For over two decades, supporting Arsenal F.C. was not a hobby. It was a test of emotional endurance. In Juba’s Sherikat suburb, Arsenal fans became specialists in defending disappointment. Every weekend, they entered football debates like unpaid lawyers representing a hopeless client.

“Trust the process,” they said.

And for 22 years, the process trusted nobody.

Since their legendary 2004 Invincibles season, Arsenal supporters survived everything football could throw at a human being: late collapses, top-four battles celebrated like trophies, expensive flops, injuries at the worst possible moments, and annual mathematical calculations about “games in hand.”

At some point, Arsenal fans stopped watching football for joy and started watching it for character development.

In South Sudan, especially around Sherikat, Gudele, Hai Cinema, and Konyo Konyo tea places, supporting Arsenal became an identity of stubborn faith. Every season began with confidence and ended with explanations.

When rivals lifted trophies, Arsenal fans lifted motivational quotes.

The memes were merciless.

Manchester United fans called Arsenal “TikTok footballers, and Netflix F.C.,” Chelsea supporters laughed at “beautiful football without results.” Liverpool fans reminded them about mentality. Manchester City fans barely argued; they simply showed the league table and left quietly like rich people paying bills.

Yet Arsenal fans survived.

Even during the painful years after Arsène Wenger left the club, hope somehow refused to die. The club looked lost. Managers came and went. Expensive players arrived and disappeared like government allowances. Some fans even began missing fourth place as if it were a family member.

Then came the rebuild.

When Mikel Arteta took over on 20th December 2019, many people laughed. Rival fans called him a “cone manager,” saying his greatest achievement was arranging training equipment for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

The memes intensified when Arsenal finished eighth.

In Sherikat football viewing centres, even loyal Arsenal supporters sometimes watched matches through fingers covering their faces. Defending the club became harder than defending a PhD thesis.

But slowly, something changed.

The football improved. Young players matured. The team stopped fearing big matches. Arsenal transformed from a soft club that entertained opponents into a serious title challenger.

For the last four years, they kept knocking on the Premier League door. Every season looked closer than the previous one. Though they repeatedly fell short, the mentality changed completely.

Bukayo Saka stopped being “a promising youngster” and became a leader.

Martin Ødegaard became the orchestra conductor.

William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhaes turned defending into art.

And suddenly Arsenal were no longer chasing top four, they were chasing history again.

In South Sudan, Arsenal fans sensed it before everyone else.

At viewing centres in Sherikat, people who once quietly removed Arsenal jerseys after defeats now wore them proudly even on weekdays. Conversations changed from “maybe next season” to “this is our year.”

The confidence returned dangerously.

Some Arsenal supporters in Juba reportedly began speaking to Manchester United fans with the boldness of landlords asking for rent. Others composed songs teasing Manchester United fans. Arsenal songs became anthems in Sherikat.

When the title was finally secured, Sherikat exploded like a national celebration. Motorbikes hooted endlessly. Fans danced in the streets wearing old jerseys that survived generations of disappointment. Some supporters celebrated as if they personally assisted the winning goal.

One fan at a viewing centre shouted:

“We suffered more than final-year students!”

Another emotionally declared:

“Today, we can finally argue without using history from 2004!”

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Arsenal’s triumph is not the trophy itself, but the journey toward it.

The planned Sherikat big celebrations

Speaking to Eye Radio, South Sudan Arsenal Fans Association president Sebit William Ker said excitement among supporters in Juba is overwhelming, with preparations already underway for large celebration activities across the city.

According to Sebit, fans are planning victory marches, public celebrations, watch parties, and gatherings to mark the historic title win.

He added that supporters are also discussing charity initiatives as part of the celebrations, saying the victory should not only unite Arsenal fans but also create something meaningful for vulnerable people in the community.

Sebit noted that many supporters remained loyal to the club during difficult years when Arsenal became a weekly source of jokes online, adding that the title now feels like a reward for patience and belief.

Meanwhile, Eye Radio sports journalist Kon Ayuen described the mood among Arsenal supporters as emotional relief after years of trolling, heartbreak, and near misses.

According to Kon, many fans who endured endless ridicule from rival supporters now finally feel vindicated after standing by the club through its darkest moments.

He said Arsenal’s recent success was built over several seasons of steady improvement, discipline, and persistence despite criticism from football analysts and rival fans.

Football punished Arsenal for years. Rival fans mocked them relentlessly. Every collapse became internet content. Every failure became comedy material.

But the club kept building.

And maybe that is why this title feels different.

It was not bought overnight.

It was rebuilt patiently.

From doubt to belief.

From memes to medals.

From Sherikat to the Emirates, and somewhere in Juba today, Arsenal fans are sleeping peacefully for the first time in 22 years, without calculating games in hand.