“It was for a woman” - Ex-Arsenal star says he regrets leaving Gunners for girl he divorced two years after Emirates exit

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has admitted that he regrets his decision to leave the Gunners. According to the 54-year-old Frenchman, he left the Premier League giants for his then-wife.

Petit joined Arsenal from French outfit Monaco in the summer of 1997 for a reported transfer price of €3.75 million. Three years later, he left the Premier League outfit to join Barcelona reportedly for a transfer fee of €15 million.

Petit was one of the mainstays in the Arsenal midfield under Arsene Wenger, racking up 118 appearances for the club and registering 11 goals and 24 assists. He also won several trophies during his time including the Premier League (1997-98), the English FA Cup (1998), and two English Super Cups (1999, and 2000).

During his time at Arsenal, Petit married French actress Agathe de La Fontaine in 2000. However, the two got divorced just two years later.

In a recent interview on Stadium Astro (reported via Metro), the Frenchman was asked why he left Arsenal to join Barcelona. Emmanuel Petit said:

"[It was] for a woman. I always loved Barcelona and [Real] Madrid, two of the biggest clubs in the world. But I should have stayed with Arsenal, definitely. You know, sometimes the grass is not greener somewhere else. It’s better to stay where you are when you receive love and happiness and you are successful."

The Frenchman continued:

"Why would you leave? Definitely [a big regret]. If I could turn the clock back, I would probably make a different decision."

Petit stayed in Barcelona for just one year before joining Premier League side Chelsea in 2001 for a reported transfer fee of €11.50 million. He played 38 games for La Blaugrana, registering a solitary goal.

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When ex-Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit compared Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 - Source: Getty

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit once compared Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The two titans of the game have dominated football discourses among fans and pundits for the last two decades and continue to do so even in the twilight of their respective careers.

In an interview with Paddy Power News, Petit opined that Messi lacked leadership skills - a quality that Cristiano Ronaldo allegedly had in plenty. He said (via football-espana):

“He’s not a leader. He’s no Ronaldo in that regard. Messi is one of the best players ever, but he needs to show that mentality. He needs to wake up! When things go well with Barcelona he’s a terrific player. We’ve seen it in the Champions League though, when things don’t go well, he can disappear on the pitch."

The Frenchman continued:

"He’s [Messi] not there anymore. He’s not running, he’s walking. He’s not concerned about the ball. Come on. The whole team’s body language was so poor, no confidence, no trust between each other. The way they looked, I cannot see Argentina qualifying now."

His comments were in the context of Argentina's poor display at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. La Albiceleste bowed out of the tournament in the Round of 16 when they lost 3-4 to France. Before that, they had barely managed to qualify for the knockout stages with just four points in three games.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, meanwhile, made it to the knockouts with one win and two draws (five points). They were knocked out in the Round of 16 after a 1-2 loss against Uruguay.