Freddie Ljungberg left Arsenal on Monday afternoon after nine glorious seasons at the Club.
The Swedish midfielder joined for £3million from homeland club Halmstads in September 1998 and went on to score 72 goals in 316 appearances for the Gunners.
After netting in a 3-0 victory over Manchester United on his debut, Ljungberg made a further 20 appearances in the 1998/99 campaign but failed to add to his goalscoring tally. The midfielder made a far greater impact in his second season when he scored eight goals in 43 appearances and added another nine in 48 showings in the 2000/01 campaign.
Freddie’s most productive season came in 2001/02 when his 17 goals in 39 games helped the Club to its second double under Arsène Wenger. Perhaps his best and most memorable strike of the campaign came in the FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium, one year after he had scored in a 2-1 Final defeat to Liverpool.
In 2002/03 Ljungberg notched nine times in 32 appearances as Arsenal won the FA Cup before adding another 10 goals and 44 appearances as the Gunners went unbeaten to secure another Premiership title in 2003/04.
The Sweden captain reached double figures in the Premiership for the second time in 2004/05, notching 10 goals in 26 appearances. He added two more in Europe and another two in the FA Cup, finishing the season with 38 appearances in all competitions.
The following campaign brought just two goals but Ljungberg’s experience proved an asset to Wenger’s side and he finished the season having made 37 appearances in all competitions.
Ljungberg’s final season with the Gunners was disrupted by a string of niggling injuries, the worst a troublesome hamstring strain that kept him sidelined for three months. He managed just 26 first-team appearances but matched his goals tally from the previous season. His final Arsenal goal came in the FA Cup Fourth Round replay at Bolton Wanderers.
Farewell Freddie: His finest Arsenal moments
Freddie Ljungberg completed his move to West Ham United on Monday afternoon.
Our tribute to the former Gunner starts here with a look back at Freddie's finest moments in an Arsenal shirt.
v Manchester United, Sep 1998
v Lazio, Sep 2000
Arsenal 3-0 Manchester United
Premiership. September 20, 1998
Freddie didn't waste any time endearing himself to the Arsenal fans. With 11 minutes remaining and Manchester United being put to the sword at Highbury, the Swede replaced Nicolas Anelka. Five minutes after receiving a warm ovation from a happy home crowd, Ljungberg ghosted into the box to turn a misdirected pass into a scoring opportunity. Peter Schmeichel raced out but Ljungberg lobbed him to get his Arsenal career off to a perfect start.
Arsenal 2-0 Lazio
UEFA Champions League. September 27, 2000
In his prime Ljungberg was the man for the big occasion. He scored in two FA Cup Finals and also rose to the challenge on those big European nights. Lazio arrived at Highbury in September 2000 packed with star quality but they left with nothing. Ljungberg picked the perfect time to break his duck for the season, opening the scoring with a neat finish two minutes before half time. The Swede added a second early in the second half to finish off the Serie A outfit.
FA Cup Final 2001
v Juventus, Dec 2001
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
FA Cup Final. May 12, 2001
Arsenal were dominating Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium but, somehow, had failed to break the deadlock. Thierry Henry missed a hatful of chances, Stephane Henchoz denied Arsenal one goal with a desperate handball and the luck was with Liverpool. Finally, with 18 minutes to go, Ljungberg burst through the centre, took the ball past keeper Sander Westerveld and fired into an empty net. The relief was palpable. The less said about the rest of the game, the better.
Arsenal 3-1 Juventus
UEFA Champions League. December 4, 2001
A little over a year after seeing off Lazio, Ljungberg was the thorn in Juve's side. The Old Lady of Turin had the likes of Del Piero, Nedved, Thuram and Trezeguet in their ranks but Ljungberg took centre stage. He was first to react to give Arsenal the lead from close range after 21 minutes and, after Juve had threatened to nick a draw, he put the result beyond doubt. With two minutes to go, Ljungberg darted onto Bergkamp's dinked pass and lifted the ball over Gianluigi Buffon.
v Liverpool, Dec 2001
v Bolton Wanderers, Apr 2002
Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
Premiership. December 23, 2001
A key moment on the road to the title. Arsene Wenger's side were up against it at Anfield after Gio van Bronckhorst's red card but they led thanks to Thierry Henry's penalty. Then Robert Pires left Steven Gerrard for dead on the left and crossed low for Ljungberg to convert at the near post. It was the perfect example of Ljungberg's eye for goal and his ability to time his runs into the penalty area. His celebrations in front of the away end will live long in the memory.
Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Arsenal
Premiership. April 29, 2002
With Robert Pires nursing a knee ligament injury, Ljungberg emerged as Arsenal's matchwinner during the title run-in. Vital goals against Ipswich and West Ham had kept the Gunners on course and this one topped the lot. Once again Ljungberg timed his run to perfection. Once again Dennis Bergkamp picked him out with a visionary pass. Once again the Swede finished emphatically to leave Arsenal within touching distance of the Premiership trophy.
FA Cup Final 2002
v Sunderland, May 2003
Chelsea 0-2 Arsenal
FA Cup Final. May 4, 2002
Ray Parlour scored a superb opener but, in the eyes of the fans, this was Freddie's Final. The red streak in Ljungberg's hair had been imitated by many Arsenal supporters and "We Love You Freddie..." echoed around the Millennium Stadium before, during and after the game. Ljungberg duly obliged with his ninth goal in eight games, powering past John Terry before curling a shot beyond Carlo Cudicini to put Arsenal two goals up. Arguably his finest moment in red and white.
Sunderland 0-4 Arsenal
Premiership. May 11, 2003
The title had gone but the goals still flowed for Arsenal and for Freddie. Days after Pires and Pennant hit trebles against Southampton, Ljungberg notched his first and only hat-trick in Arsenal's colours. Sunderland, already consigned to the drop, had no answer to the super Swede as he struck after 39, 78 and 88 minutes. Arsenal's 4-0 victory at the Stadium of Light was the second match in what would eventually be a record 49 games unbeaten in the league.
v Dinamo Zagreb, Aug 2006
v Bolton Wanderers, Feb 2007
Arsenal 2-1 Dinamo Zagreb
UEFA Champions League. August 23, 2006
A little bit of history for Ljungberg. Thierry Henry scored the first Arsenal goal at Emirates Stadium, Gilberto grabbed Arsenal's first competitive goal at the ground, but Freddie scored Arsenal's first European goal at their new home. Eduardo, now an Arsenal player, struck first for Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League qualifier but Ljungberg nodded the home side level with 13 minutes left. Mathieu Flamini grabbed the winner in stoppage time.
Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Arsenal
FA Cup Fourth Round Replay. February 14, 2007
Freddie's last goal for Arsenal and one which encapsulated what he brought to the team for nine years. Jeremie Aliadiere made inroads into Bolton's defence and Ljungberg, hovering on the shoulder of the last defender, picked the perfect time to make his run. Aliadiere rolled the ball into Ljungberg's path and the Swede, like so often before, slammed his shot into the corner. It was a vital goal in the context of the Cup tie and it summed up Freddie to a tee.
