Gunners Padel: Why Arsenal Fans Are Falling for Padel

Football-inspired padel · Arsenal fans · Gunners culture

Gunners padel is where Arsenal fan culture meets the world's fastest-growing racket sport. Arsenal supporters are well-placed to love padel: the sport rewards technical precision, working angles, partner communication and tactical patience — all qualities that anyone who has watched Arteta's side understands.

There is also a genuine football-padel connection worth knowing. Darren Bent, one of football media's most outspoken Arsenal fans, has been publicly associated with padel. And the wider list of footballers playing or investing in the sport now includes some of the biggest names in the game.

Are Arsenal players playing padel?

There is no strong public evidence that current Arsenal first-team players are regular padel players. That is the honest answer. What we can say is that padel has firmly entered Premier League culture.

At Manchester United, Diogo Dalot — a Portuguese right-back who co-owns a padel club in Porto — led the push for a padel court at the revamped Carrington training ground. That court was included in the £50 million August 2025 reopening. Former United manager Rubén Amorim and several coaches were also regular padel players. It represents the direction of travel across elite football.

Darren Bent: Arsenal's padel-adjacent voice

Darren Bent is one of football media's most recognisable Arsenal supporters. His Arsenal allegiance is well documented — talkSPORT has covered the mock disbelief of former Tottenham teammate Dimitar Berbatov when the subject comes up, and Bent has spoken openly about his loyalty to the Gunners.

Bent also represents the kind of modern ex-footballer that padel is attracting: competitive personalities who still want the feeling of a match, social sport that works with a busy schedule, and something they can do with former teammates and football friends.

Footballers and padel: the bigger picture

The football-padel crossover now involves some of the most recognisable names in the sport. Cristiano Ronaldo invested €5 million in the Lisbon Racket Centre and the “City of Padel” complex in Portugal, plays almost daily according to the Portuguese Padel Federation president, and livestreamed Premier Padel tournaments on his 73-million-subscriber YouTube channel. In September 2024, he played a training match with world number one Arturo Coello.

Ronaldo is the headline name, but the trend is much wider. Our complete guide to footballers who play padel covers the full list — from Messi and Zidane to the Premier League players who have taken up the sport.

Why Arsenal fans should be good at padel

Angles

Padel is about finding the right line through the court — just as Arsenal at their best use passing angles to open space.

Partnership

Padel is usually doubles. You win by moving as a pair, covering each other and communicating.

Tempo

The best players know when to slow the point down and when to accelerate. Arsenal fans understand rhythm and control.

Identity

Football fans care about colours, shirts and belonging. Padel is rapidly becoming a club-culture sport too.

The Gunners Padel T-Shirt

The Gunners Padel Club Performance T-Shirt is built around that crossover. It is football-inspired padelwear: not official club merchandise, but a nod to north London football culture and the growing tribe of Arsenal fans discovering padel.

Shop the Gunners Padel Club T-Shirt

Football-inspired padelwear for Arsenal fans, Gunners supporters and players who bring club identity to the court.

View the Gunners T-Shirt Shop all padel clothing

Is this official Arsenal merchandise?

No. The Gunners Padel Club T-Shirt is not official Arsenal merchandise and is not affiliated with Arsenal Football Club. It is football-inspired padelwear for fans of north London football culture who play padel.

FAQs: Gunners padel and Arsenal fans

+Do Arsenal players play padel?

There is no strong public evidence that current Arsenal first-team players are regular padel players. The broader picture is padel's rapid growth across Premier League culture — Manchester United's revamped Carrington training ground (August 2025) includes a padel court added at the players' request.

+Is Darren Bent an Arsenal fan?

Yes. Darren Bent has publicly spoken about being an Arsenal fan. His loyalty to the Gunners has been discussed on talkSPORT, including a well-known exchange with former Tottenham teammate Dimitar Berbatov who reacted with mock disbelief.

+Is the Gunners Padel T-Shirt official Arsenal merchandise?

No. It is not official Arsenal merchandise and is not affiliated with Arsenal Football Club. It is football-inspired padelwear for fans of north London football culture.

+Why is padel popular with football fans?

Padel is competitive, social and tactical. It rewards movement, teamwork and quick decisions. There is also a growing list of high-profile footballers playing or investing in the sport, which has brought Premier League-level visibility to the game.

+Which footballers play padel?

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most prominent — he invested €5m in padel facilities in Portugal and plays almost daily. Diogo Dalot co-owns a padel club in Porto. The wider list includes David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Sergio Agüero and Xavi Hernández.

Sources

“Gunners” and “Arsenal fans” are used descriptively for football culture. The product referenced is football-inspired padelwear not affiliated with Arsenal Football Club.

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