Arsène Wenger OBE's love of football and music will come together on Monday when he becomes the latest recipient of the Legends of Football award at the annual event in aid of Nordoff Robbins, the largest UK music therapy charity.
Wenger will join an exclusive list including Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Robson, Sir Kenny Dalglish and last year's recipient Frank Lampard OBE in being honoured with the Legends of Football award.
The dinner on 7 October is supported by the Premier League and has raised £8million for Nordoff Robbins since its inaugural event in 1996.
Record breaker
Wenger holds the record for the most Premier League matches managed, having overseen 828 top-flight fixtures during his 22-year tenure at Arsenal between 1996 and 2018.
As well as the silverware won with the Gunners, he was voted Manager of the Year in 1998, 2002 and 2004.
His 2003/04 Arsenal team also created history by going the whole season unbeaten, becoming the "Invincibles".
Similarities
For Wenger, music and the beautiful game have a lot in common.
"I still love the Beatles, because of it's simplicity," he says. "It's a bit like in football. What is class is when it looks simple."
As for which music artist he likes the most, one man stands out for the Frenchman.
'Marley the best'
"I've said many times Bob Marley because, for me, Bob Marley was not fabricated in Hollywood," he says. "What I mean by that is that his music is not artificial."
Having won three Premier League titles and a record seven FA Cups, Wenger's favourite song is perhaps not a surprise.
"We are the champions," he says of the song by Queen. "I think that speaks to every football player. You dream of being a champion."
Tables are still available and can be booked at lofootball.co.uk.
