Per Mertesacker has taken a page out of Petr Cech’s book.
The Arsenal centre-half was the designated captain on Sunday, when the Gunners won the Emirates Cup despite falling to a defeat to Sevilla in the final game.
A quirky rule-set meant that the trophy would go to the side who’d scored the most goals over the two-day tournament and thanks to Arsenal’s 5-2 victory over Benfica on Saturday, they became champions in spite of the fact that Sevilla actually won both of their games.
Teams were awarded a point for each goal scored and the Gunners’ six collected over the pair of games resulted in triumph.
But Mertesacker wasn’t exactly excited by the presentation ceremony.
🏆#EmiratesCup 🔴 pic.twitter.com/x2k8XjPwWz
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 30, 2017
The German defender was handed the trophy and looked almost bored by the process, as he refused to lift it above his head as though it was a prize that actually meant anything.
Teammate Petr Cech did something similar earlier this month, when Arsenal beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the International Champions Cup.
Despite the best efforts of the younger members of the squad, Cech simply would not be convinced to celebrate the win.
It's divided opinion among supporters https://t.co/8UutM4EeFv
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) July 21, 2017
It’s impossible to tell whether Mertesacker followed Cech’s suggestion that players should “lift the big one at the end of the season. Not this one!” or if he was simply too embarrassed to hoist a trophy aloft after suffering a 2-1 defeat.
But supporters loved it nonetheless.
Per Mertesacker's steadfast refusal to lift the Emirates Cup above his head one of the highlights of the sporting summer so far
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) July 30, 2017
Mertersacker… Thanks for lowering the trophy. #EmiratesCup
— Johnson Jking (@TweetsByJking) July 30, 2017
Big Per making sure no one lifts it like it's the PL trophy. Love you skipper @mertesacker
— TattedGooner❤️🤍🇧🇷🏴🇫🇷 (@TattedGooner) July 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/Trist_Halfie/status/891890595198795776
Per Mertesacker: the most underwhelmed trophy recipient of all time https://t.co/q6ypHEFK7Z
— Harry Foges (@harryfoges) July 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/OlivierKGooner/status/891725385636950017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportbible.com%2Ffootball%2Freactions-arsenal-fans-love-what-per-mertesacker-did-after-emirates-cup-win-20170730
https://twitter.com/A96oaye/status/891712539456929792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportbible.com%2Ffootball%2Freactions-arsenal-fans-love-what-per-mertesacker-did-after-emirates-cup-win-20170730
Mertesacker is just sanding there with the trophy like "I ain't lifting this Preseason cup" #EmiratesCup
— RA (@RAZ6ne) July 30, 2017
See how smart mertesacker is….man knows he shouldn't be celebrating
— 🄱🄸🄶 🄷🄾🄼🄼🄸🄴 🦁🫶 (@oneMr_Francis) July 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/pau_joshua/status/891712283868413953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportbible.com%2Ffootball%2Freactions-arsenal-fans-love-what-per-mertesacker-did-after-emirates-cup-win-20170730
