Arsenal officially began their pre-season campaign in Catalunya on Saturday with a 4-1 win over local club Girona.
Kai Havertz gave the Gunners an early lead which was doubled by new signing Christos Tzolis, before second half strikes from Max Dowman and Gabriel Jesus sealed the deal for the Londoners.
Havertz was the star of the match and he was anointed as much, quite literally.
The German forward received a huge gold coloured star-shaped award for his contributions, complete with a shimmery silver rectangular block underneath.
While the size of the award given it was just a pre-season game amused a laughing Havertz to no end, little did he know it was just the trailer to the main show.
The triumph earned Arsenal the Costa Brava Trophy, which was duly presented to them after the match. Ben White, named skipper for the first time in his five-year long Arsenal career, stepped up to receive the honour in absence of regular captain Martin Odegaard.
The silverware in question was a huge football perched on top of three long and curved arches, with a solid rectangular base underneath to hold the structure together. The trophy seemed to be close to three feet tall, and safe to say oversized compared to most such prizes going around.
just so unserious pic.twitter.com/ESORqlxT4l
— ola ! (@bIuezoya) August 1, 2026
The same was reflected in White’s troubles dealing with the trophy as he wobbled while waiting for his team to surround him. However, with some effort, the Englishman was eventually able to hoist the monstrosity high into the air.
As his teammates dispersed, White could not help but give in to his intrusive thoughts. It did not help that next to him was a giggling Riccardo Calafiori, equally notorious for pulling off hilarious antics.
Expectedly, White placed the trophy horizontally against his crotch, apparently mimicking his manhood. One of the oldest gags in the history books, the on-field shenanigans presented a familiar sight in Girona.
Watch Ben White with the trophy😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/EzbT8Zakpp
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) August 1, 2026
White would be happy to know the club is set to get a full-sized replica of the trophy for keepsakes. The original will remain in Girona to be presented to next year’s winner.
The sheer bulk of the trophy certainly matches its legacy, even if it is technically just a friendly.
Girona began hosting the Costa Brava Trophy in 1970, making it the second oldest summer tournament in Catalunya. The tournament has been held almost every year since, with the clash against Arsenal its 49th rendition.
The pre-season match is meant to be an opportunity for Girona to present their first team for the upcoming year of football. More than 13,000 spectators gathered at Estadio Montilivi to watch the action and be greeted by the men that will represent them on the field for the next 12 months.
The Costa Brava Trophy allows Girona to host high-profile international and club sides from around the world. Despite relegation, they managed to attract English champions and European finalists Arsenal, a big step-up from last year’s visitors Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Over the last decade, teams like Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspurs have also competed for the trophy. On some instances, the event even takes the form of a heritage encounter, such as when they invited FC Barcelona legends in 2022.
The latest edition also earmarked 150 years of Estrella Damm, one of the largest beer brands in Spain that began in 1876. Based out of Catalunya, they have been sponsoring Girona since 2012 and the two teams often collaborate for pre-season events.
Arsenal next face another Spanish outfit Real Betis in Dublin, before returning home for the Emirates Cup against Borussia Dortmund. The Gunners are also slated to host Italy’s Como, managed by their former legend Cesc Fabregas, and officially kick off the season with the FA Community Shield against City on August 16.
