Emmanuel Adebayor, the former striker for Arsenal FC, Manchester City, and Real Madrid, has shared his thoughts on Arsenal FC and Manchester City's success, while analyzing manager Mikel Arteta's approach and the challenges José Mourinho faces in his return to manage Real Madrid, in an exclusive interview with Tribalfootball.

The former Togolese striker played for Arsenal FC for three and a half seasons, making 142 appearances and scoring 62 goals after joining from Monaco in January 2006.

He later moved to Manchester City during the club's early years of becoming a powerhouse in English football, before joining Real Madrid on loan during the second half of the 2010/11 season.

Adebayor never won the Premier League or Champions League with Arsenal FC or Manchester City, but he has witnessed the foundations laid during his era finally bear fruit.

Arsenal FC won the Premier League title in the 2023/24 season, ending a 20-year wait, while Manchester City has reinforced its position among Europe's elite clubs. For Adebayor, seeing these clubs achieve what his generation could not is deeply satisfying.

Arsenal FC's Development Under Mikel Arteta

Adebayor believes Arsenal FC's transformation under manager Mikel Arteta is built on a clear identity and improved physical strength.

Mikel Arteta took over from Unai Emery in 2019 and has gradually rebuilt the team, with defenders like Gabriel and William Saliba forming the cornerstone of Arsenal's defensive strength.

Adebayor sees this physical robustness as a key difference between Arsenal FC during his era and the team that finally ended the club's lengthy Premier League title drought.

"Mikel Arteta succeeded Arsène Wenger with his own ideas and vision. He learned from Pep Guardiola. He had specific demands in a specific way. He brought in big, strong defenders like Gabriel and Saliba, which didn't surprise me at all. They are strong, tall, and powerful."

For Adebayor, combining technical quality with physical strength is crucial in the Premier League, and he believes winning titles requires more than just playing beautiful football.

"This is what Arsenal FC added to their football that truly made them champions. In England, if you want to be champions, you can play beautiful football all you want, but you won't become champions. If you have players willing to battle, ready to fight for you, then you can truly become champions."

Real Madrid's Challenge

Adebayor also reflects on Real Madrid's difficulties, particularly the challenge of managing a dressing room filled with world-class players.

The Togolese striker experienced this atmosphere firsthand during his loan spell at Real Madrid in 2011, playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gonzalo Higuaín.

With Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham now forming Real Madrid's star trio, Adebayor believes managing player personalities may be just as important as tactical decisions.

"When you have players like Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Bellingham in your team, it becomes an ego problem. Make no mistake. They try to show on television that they get along well, but that's not always the case every day."

Adebayor also believes the status of such elite players makes it difficult for any coach to exercise absolute authority.

"When you have Mbappé and Vinícius, you're among the best players in the world. It's quite difficult to tell them what they need to do."

Mourinho Will Demand Control

José Mourinho's return has complicated the situation further. José Mourinho was appointed as Real Madrid manager in June, beginning his second spell in charge after more than a decade away.

The Portuguese coach previously worked with Adebayor during his first spell at Real Madrid, when the striker joined on loan from Manchester City in January 2011.

Adebayor recalls that this coach was unafraid to confront even the biggest stars in the dressing room.

"I know José Mourinho. He would stand on the table and tell them, 'Either you do what I say, or you sit on the bench.' I played as a striker at the same time as Higuaín, Benzema, and Ronaldo. We all had egos."

José Mourinho has returned to the Bernabéu with expectations of leading Real Madrid back to the pinnacle of European football. However, Adebayor believes the coach's authority in the dressing room may not be the same as during his first spell.

"José Mourinho came to the club with a cabinet full of trophies back then, so his authority was greater than all of us. Make no mistake, José Mourinho is my friend, but he has faced difficulties over the past five or six years."

"Now that he's back at Real Madrid, his authority is not what it was before. Mbappé will listen because it's José Mourinho, but he won't fully obey. When José Mourinho was José Mourinho who could say whatever he wanted, Mbappé was young... they don't really know this man's personality."

Adebayor Expects Mourinho to Make His Stance Clear

Real Madrid's new season has started uncertainly, with José Mourinho returning to the club to rebuild the team and compete for important trophies.

The team's 1-2 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Madrid derby on Sunday has left them six points behind Barcelona, raising questions about the team's balance and performance.

Adebayor believes that if Mourinho feels his authority is being undermined, he will not hesitate to demand changes from the club's management and within the dressing room.

"Knowing José Mourinho, I'm sure he will meet with the president this week and tell him what he needs. When they return from the international break, he will tell them, 'Either you listen to me, or you leave. Either I leave, or I get sacked, or I will sack you first.'"

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