Sol Campbell, the former Arsenal and England defender, still carries the commanding presence that defined his career. Even at 50, his upper arms, a proud inheritance from his Jamaican parents, would make fast bowlers envious. Growing up in East London, immersed in the culture of street football, cricket barely registered in his world. Yet, sitting near Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens, Campbell drew an intriguing parallel between Arsenal’s legendary Invincibles season and Australia’s 16-Test winning streak, which ended at this very venue in 2001.
“We were always waiting, wondering when it would end,” Campbell said of Arsenal’s historic 49-game unbeaten run. “It felt heavy at times.” The weight of expectations hung over every match during the 2003-04 Premier League season, an extraordinary campaign where Arsenal played 38 games, won 26, drew 12, and lost none. That feat, unmatched in England since 1893-94, remains etched in yellow at the Emirates Stadium—a permanent reminder of a team that achieved the impossible.
But even now, the abrupt end of that unbeaten streak still stings. Arsenal’s run collapsed at Old Trafford in October 2004, with Manchester United winning 2-0 in a game mired in controversy. Referee Mike Riley awarded a penalty for an apparent foul by Campbell on Wayne Rooney, though replays showed no contact. “VAR would’ve picked it up now—or a switched-on referee,” Campbell remarked with a shrug. Ruud van Nistelrooy converted the penalty, ending Arsenal’s streak in a season where they ultimately finished second.
Ironically, Van Nistelrooy himself had come close to stopping Arsenal a season earlier when his penalty struck the crossbar. “That’s the kind of luck you need to pull off something like the Invincibles,” Campbell admitted. Alongside Thierry Henry’s brilliance, Patrick Vieira’s dominance, and Jens Lehmann’s reliability, Arsenal needed a slice of fortune to achieve immortality. “These accolades, they choose you. You create the environment, build the team, and something unbelievable happens.”
Campbell and Kolo Touré formed the defensive backbone of that iconic season. “Definitely the best center-back I played with at Arsenal,” Campbell said of Touré. “With England, it would be Rio Ferdinand.” Despite the Invincibles’ success, Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League since. Can Mikel Arteta finally break the drought? Campbell believes the signs are promising. “The last two seasons have shown progress. But winning the league takes consistency. If Arsenal don’t get there, Liverpool probably will.”
While Campbell’s career is defined by triumphs, there are moments that still haunt him. His disallowed goals for England—against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup and Portugal in the 2004 Euros—remain painful memories. “There was nothing wrong with those goals,” he said. “It’s frustrating because you never know what could have been.”
Equally troubling is the abuse he continues to face for moving from Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal in 2001. Spurs fans labeled him “Judas,” and the vitriol has persisted for over two decades. In 2023, a Spurs fan was even reported singing about celebrating Campbell’s death. “Other players—Luis Figo, Emmanuel Adebayor, William Gallas—have moved between rivals, but no one sings about them,” Campbell said. He suspects racial tension might play a role. “Is there some of that in it? Maybe. But no one wants to talk about it.”
Only recently has Campbell felt comfortable addressing the issue. “People don’t want to hear my story because it might make them uncomfortable,” he said. “But it’s important to move on—new stadium, new players, new chapter.”
In Kolkata as an ambassador for the Tata Steel World 25k, Campbell spoke candidly about his journey, from the glory of Arsenal’s Invincibles to the challenges that tested his resilience. “I’ve faced setbacks, but I’ve always moved forward. That’s the lesson—whether it’s football or life.”
Through it all, Campbell remains a symbol of strength and perseverance, his legacy as a defender and a leader enduring long after the final whistle.
