Ronald de Boer has opened up about his close bond with Mikel Arteta, tracing the Arsenal manager’s development back to their time together at Rangers.
The pair first crossed paths when a Barcelona loanee caught the eye of de Boer during a UEFA Cup tie between Rangers and Paris Saint-Germain a quarter of a century ago.
That PSG squad featured Ronaldinho, Nicolas Anelka, Mauricio Pochettino, Gabriel Heinze and Jay-Jay Okocha, yet it was the young Spaniard who stood out most to de Boer.
Rangers edged that tie on penalties after goalless draws in Govan and at the Parc des Princes, and Arteta soon signed for Alex McLeish’s side in a £6million deal.
De Boer took the teenager under his wing in Glasgow, and their shared language and football intelligence helped forge a lasting bond between the two players.
The Dutchman told Record Sport: “Mikel was 18 years old, I guess, at that time, but what I remember was just how mature he played.”
De Boer praised Arteta’s vision and decision-making, adding: “He had that acceleration at the right moment, and knew when to take the right touch away from the opponent.”
“Rangers saw this,” de Boer said. “I always say Mikel was a raw diamond. You just had to polish him and he would become very valuable.”
De Boer believes the lessons Arteta learned at Ibrox shaped a relentless winning mentality that continues to define how he manages Arsenal today.
He said the never-give-up spirit ingrained at Rangers left a permanent mark, explaining: “Those lessons about never giving up, showing passion, finding a way to win, no matter if it is a pretty move from the back or from a long throw, I think he definitely learned at Rangers.”
De Boer also reflected on the broader era, noting that Celtic had Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton, Alan Thompson and Bobo Balde, making it an incredible period for Scottish football.
He acknowledged that Arteta’s early time at Rangers was not always straightforward, particularly with Barry Ferguson occupying the central role Arteta might have preferred for himself.
Arteta later served his coaching apprenticeship under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before taking charge at Arsenal, where he eventually led the club to Premier League glory.
De Boer credited Arsenal’s board for showing patience during difficult early seasons, saying: “Some boards at other clubs might have kicked him out because it wasn’t moving fast for them enough.”
Now Arteta faces the defining challenge of his managerial career, with Arsenal preparing to meet PSG in Saturday’s Champions League final in Budapest.
De Boer acknowledged PSG are heavy favourites, saying: “If you ask 100 people, I think 80 will say Paris will win.”
However, de Boer believes Arsenal’s defensive strength could prove decisive, referencing a conversation with Jurrien Timber, who told him: “Nobody can defend like us.”
De Boer said of the final: “It’s not going to be open like Bayern Munich against Paris, but nevertheless, I think it’s very exciting to watch this final.”
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