Arsenal suffered heartbreak in the Champions League final on Saturday, falling to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 following extra time. The defeat not only denied them the trophy but also etched their name into the record books for a dubious reason.
According to statistics from OptaJoe, Arsenal now hold the unwanted record for the most matches played in Champions League history without ever winning the competition. The club has featured in 226 games in the tournament, more than any other side that has failed to lift the prestigious trophy.
This marks the second time Arsenal have lost a Champions League final, the first being in 2006. The latest defeat in 2026 adds to their legacy as a team that has consistently fallen short on Europe’s biggest stage.
The match itself saw Kai Havertz open the scoring for Arsenal, but Ousmane Dembele equalized for PSG during regular time. The game remained deadlocked through extra time, leading to a penalty shootout where PSG emerged victorious.
In a further statistical oddity, Arsenal recorded their lowest possession percentage in a Champions League final since data tracking began in 2003-04. Their possession average of 24.7% was also the lowest they have ever managed in any match under manager Mikel Arteta while playing with 11 men on the field.