Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira admits he still regrets snubbing a move to Real Madrid in 2002 | OneFootball

Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has admitted that he still regrets snubbing a move to Real Madrid to remain at the Emirates Stadium club in 2002.

The former Arsenal midfielder was at the peak of his career at the time with the Gunners having won the Premier League title in 1997-98 and 2001-02.

The North London club eventually won the title again in 2003-04, going unbeaten throughout the campaign and setting a record yet to be broken to date.

Vieira played key roles in those title-winning seasons, leaving Arsenal after nine seasons at the end of the 2004-25 campaign.

The Frenchman left for Serie A, playing with Juventus for a season before moving to Inter Milan.

He ended his career at Manchester City in 2011 and is a legend of the game having also won the World Cup and European Championship with France.

Vieira won 16 trophies at club level and is one of the most successful players to have ever graced the beautiful game.

However, he believes he should have joined Madrid when they came calling, revealing that the club president Florentino Perez made a personal approach to him.

“In football you sometimes have to make a decision,” the Arsenal hero said.

“At the time, I was too happy at Arsenal. I was too good at Arsenal. I was at home. And I didn’t want to leave.

“If I look at my career again, that can be one of my regrets, not to go to Madrid.

“I had a good conversation with the president, we talked, I remember it. I was just too happy at Arsenal to leave the club at that time but it’s one of my biggest regrets.”

Perez was assembling the Galacticos at the time, and Vieira fitted the bill, but a move did not materialise as he loved Arsenal and wanted to win the Champions League and conquer Europe with them.

Unfortunately, the Frenchman did not win any silverware at continental level with any of the clubs he played for, which could be the reason why he regrets not joining the star-studded Madrid team.