DB10 Tributes

We all love to witness winning football by our beloved Arsenal, but nothing surpasses the experience of winning beautiful football. For many supporters, DB10 will always be the epitome of (striving towards) beautiful football. This site was set up in honour of his genius and quest for beautiful football. See also the page ‘About Bergkampesque’ above.

Dennis has inspired me even beyond football: he made me realise that the pursuit of beauty is a worthy aim in itself in whatever you do; but also that just winning, or being successful, is not everything in life.

It has been a while since we had the luxury of experiencing winning football, let alone winning beautiful football. There has still been plenty of beautiful football though: even during the last seven years there were many games in which we played deadly attacking, breathtakingly beautiful football.

Since Dennis played his last game for Arsenal, now more than six years ago, it is fair to say that not only Arsenal lost a great player, but the whole of the Premier League did so too. Cesc Fabregas could have been on his way to get somewhere near the genius and beautiful football of Dennis, but he left far too soon to be even considered in the same league as the Iceman.

Sometimes, a footballer in the PL does something beautiful on the pitch; and whether it is an Arsenal player or not, often the commentators refer to this with the term ‘bergkampesque’. I am hopeful that one day the word ‘bergkampesque’ will end up in all English dictionaries as the definition for an act of pure beauty by an individual footballer. Dennis would totally deserve this for what he has done for football in England and the rest of the world.

I would like to ask you to leave a comment on Bergkampesque with regards to what Dennis meant – and still means – to you; and what your best personal memories are of DB10.

Comments by non-Gooners are also welcome.

Many thanks in advance,

Total Arsenal

Blog Owner & writer

http://www.bergkampesque.com

Contact: bergkampesque@gmail.com

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Responses by fellow Gooners until now:

Ian Maddox:

“Genius , what a player made hard things look so simple. Never forget you Dennis a pleasure to have watched you play.”

VCC:

“by far my favourite moment from God Bergkamp was the goal he scored against Newcastle. Possibly the finest goal ever.”

HerbsArmy:

“Simply the greatest player ever to wear the hallowed red shirt of The Arsenal. I’m disappointed that he hasn’t been honoured and immortalised in the same way that Tony Adams and Thierry Henry have.
I’m not sure whether Mr Wenger would have been brave enough to have bought a player of Dennis Bergkamp’s quality, and yet he was the essential link that ensured Mr Wenger’s football philosophy worked with machine-like precision. Bergkamp epitomises what Tomas Rosicky could and should have been with the right attitude and application.
When Dennis Bergkamp retired, Arsenal lost so much more than a legendary foofballer, and it is something the manager has found impossible to replace. I hope that we see him back at Arsenal in some capacity in the future, he is a winner and the perfect role-model for anyone who aspires to represent Arsenal Football Club.”

oz gunner:

A legend of the game that could pull off the impossible. The best player I’ve ever seen in action and that will probably never change! Words could never do him justice.
He was Arsenal through and through and a fantastic leader. I’m still working on the clone!

Neamman:

ergkamp was fantastic. In 50 years of watching Arsenal I cannot remember anyone of his calibre or even approaching it. He brought a level of football skill you these days expect to see only at Real Madrid or Barcelona. We were lucky he had been in Italy and not done well, perhaps thats why he was happy to stay with us.

henrychan:

For me Dennis Bergkamp is everything..
I will never becomes Gunners if not because of him..

I am a big fans of Holland / Dutch team..
Start with trio Gullit – Van Basten – Rijjkard in Milan..
For the very first time Holland win European Cup (Euro..) in 1988..
And they also I love Milan with their ‘dream team’

But as time goes by.. Bergkamp coming to replace Van Basten in Holland team..
And I am a very big fans of Dennis Bergkamp.. And of course Arsenal when DB move in..
And guest what..?? DB coming to Arsenal one year before Wenger did.. (cmiiw..)
Arsenal have a very funtastic games with Bergkamp..
We won a lot of trophy in that era..
Bergkamp spend his 11 years in Arsenal.. and ritered as Arsenal legend..
Many striker come and go.. like Anelka, Overmars, Petit, Pires and even Henry..
But Bergkamp remain royal to Arsenal..
For Henry.. maybe the ritered of DB make him desperated and move to Barca..

For me Bergkamp is the real Arsenal legend.. more than Henry..
And I agree with Herb that we didn’t honoured him good enough..
maybe someday Arsenal should make the same ‘statue’ like Henry and Adam got..

Go Gunners..

Elliot Vaughan:

Simply Arsenal FC greatest player, we called him god because in a football sense, he was and is GOD.

Red Arse:

Once in an era a man with a special talent graces the football pitches of the world.

Dennis Bergkamp was such a man.

With his sublime silky skills, mercurial charisma, determination and self discipline he burst like a mega star onto the Arsenal firmament, and in doing so, blasted his way into our lives and the club’s heritage in a way that will live in our memories forever.

A privilege and a delight to have witnessed such an incandescent talent!

All hail Dennis!

Terry Mancini Hair Transplant:

Every time i think of Bergkamp i get the notion of spatial awareness, passes that would be the envy of Pythagoras, and Redders favourite, multi dimensions and gravity

He seemed to be able to combine the laws of physics and maths to a football pitch.

First of all he was the King of finding space. Once found and he had the ball to feet, he then seemed to possess a panaromic view of what was around him. (did the man seceretly have eyes in the back of his head?) And finaly we would have the execution. Wether it was slide rule passes or sublime finishes he had the techique and foresight to pull it off

Quite simply he was on another planet.

P.s He was also on the Norwood 3 scale for recceeding hairlines, and let me tell you, no one pulls off a receeding hairline quite like Dennis Bergkamp, simply genius. hahahaha.

24 thoughts on “DB10 Tributes”

  • I have been supporting ” The Arsenal ” for 50 odd years and in all that time, I have only had one name put on the back of an Arsenal shirt, it was ” Bergkamp 10 ” for my son !.
    The shirt is now kept away and on occasions worn by my puppy for photo`s. It`s fitting that ” Dog ” spelt backwards is ” Dennis ” !. 😆

  • I’m from Indonesia..and I’m a Gunners since 1998, guess what.. Because of Dennis Bergkamp. I remember the goal he scored back in France 1998 quarter final against argentina.. Wow, that’s a moment to remember..

    After that I start to watch him closely and here I am 15 years later a Gooners even when Dennis already retired..

    I think Arsenal need to make something to appreciate what he’d done for the club.. He’s one of the most loyal player Arsenal ever had.. He wore Arsenal number 10 shirt for 11 great years.. Maybe retiring that number can at least pay him back a little..
    Or make a statue of him, or anything..

    just don’t move formward and forget about him. He gave so much for the club..

  • Best goal 1998 World Cup vs Argentina. Absolutley amazing. THe dutch should have made thefinal.

  • The Iceman, arguably the best link-cum striker ever to grace the English game. The master of ball control and invisible passes, one man who could unlock any defence. Sadly his fear of flying is the reason we never won the Champion’s League during his time. His passing created Thierry Henry and was the master in one V one with goalkeeper, the deft touch, the exquisite and delicate chips not forgetting ability to strike the ball with no back feet. The Bayerleverkusen goal was breath taking for me. A classical professional whose technique will never die, hat off DB10, you will forever remain in our heart. It was in the way his passing and close ball contract launched the careers of many attack players at Arsenal.

  • I miss the Dennis Bergkamp days… he is the reason why I’ve became a gunner… I have the old JVC Arsenal jersey with his name and number! Thank you Dennis for all the contributions to the team… you will always be a hero to me!

  • I would like to leave you a story of how kind a person dennis is. I went on a vip trip to highbury years ago and got the chance to meet henry,vieira wiltord pires but not my hero dennisI he went home with his wife and kids straight after the match. I was so disappointed I decided to write to dennis to tell him how much enjoyment I got from watching him my husband is a boy hood fan of arsenal but once I saw dennis playing in 1995 I was soon a gooner. I have a tattoo saying gooner since 1995 on my wrist for that reason. any way I did write to dennis and sent him my first arsenal shirt that I ever bought with his name on the back and asked him could he sign it for me. that shirt was returned to me two weeks later signed with a lovely letter thanking me for writing and also for supporting him. I couldn’t believe it the shirt hangs in my living room pride of placeand like you I miss him playing very much.

  • Lynn 🙂

    That is a great story. Not just that he signed your shirt, but making the effort to write the letter as well. I have heard from other Gooners how approachable he was/is, and very down to earth as well.

    A great guy and yes, we miss him still. Let’s hope he’ll return soon to help Arsene with the development of his British super-talents! 🙂

  • Hi all! I’m from Pakistan and a huge Arsenal fan!
    Bergkamp is my all time favorite player, and funnily enough it was because of him that I started following Arsenal. The first football tournament I saw completely was the 98 WC, and I’ll never forget the Dutch team with Bergkamp, Kluivert, Overmars, De Boers and all the rest… and that translated into me following DB to Arsenal.
    I’ve always thought he was the epitome of a football player… earlier on he was a striker, but as he grew older he developed his game into more of a play maker. I loved to see him play and loved to see him do well.. he seemed Arsenal through and through and had a fantastic attitude to the game and to the team. Wish we had someone like him in the current team.
    Moments I’ll never forget from DB:
    – that goal against Argentina in the WC!
    – that turn and goal against Newcastle! Gosh I’d watch it again and agian!
    – that goal he scored against an EPL club in the lower leagues away when we won 1-0 and he was the captain that day… eventually we won the premiership that year.
    – that goal against Leverkusen… a chip shot!
    Fantastic fantastic! And utter quality!
    Hope we see him in a coaching role at Arsenal soon.

  • Thanks for a fine comment, ‘mair, and you are more than welcome to join our daily blogs/conversation (just click on home page and then the daily post). 🙂

  • I know this sounds bad, how about starting a post and share the most heart breaking moment about DB?

  • How about a Dennis joke?

    Arsenal were away to Spurs and most of the Arsenal lads wanted to go down the pub and shoot a few games of pool. DB10 piped up, listen lads Spurs are crap you go down the pub and I will play them by myself. So the lads go down the pub and proceed to get merry. After half an hour the pool game is getting tense, when suddenly Seaman announces “hey lads better check the score”. Spurs 0 Arsenal 1 Bergkamp
    24 mins. The lads go back to their game and proceed to get hammered. About 5’30 Freddie regains consciousness and remembers the game. Up goes the teletext. Spurs 1 Arsenal 1. Klinsmann 89 minutes. The lads are shocked as a disappointed Dennis walks into the pub “what happened”. “Sorry lads says Dennis, got sent off just after the half time break.

    Dennis Bergkamp a truly great player who gave me do much pleasure

  • Born in 1979 – not in a footbal-centered family – I missed some major tournament. My first memorably experience was the European Championship of 1992, where the young Bergkamp became (joint) top-scorer. That memory shaped my attraction to creative attacking football, the Dutch national team, and eventually Arsenal.

    Bergkamp was called the Iceman by many due to his cool composure and ‘the non-flying Dutchman’ because of his reluctance to air travel. But above all he became unforgettable on his magical ball control leading to many of his signature goals including but not limited to his 3rd against Leicester, the winner against Argentina (which is still the greatest goal in the history of World Cups) and “the Bergkamp” against Newcastle. Before Messi was introduced, he was the one and only ‘ball whisperer’.

    However my undying loyalty to DB10 stems from my own short experience as a footballer. My position was goalkeeper, and I always appreciated when the attacker had the confidence and the technical skills to lob. Even if I had to collect the ball from the back of the net, I admired a cool and intelligent finish above brute force; and Bergkamp was the best lobber of all times.

    Besides being a great footballer, Dennis showed great personal quality, by transitioning from the center forward (or secondary striker) role into an attacking midfielder position, when his pace and speed started to fade. Instead of wrapping up his career in an inferior league, he rose to the challenge and played on the highest quality until he eventually retired at the age of 37. That is something only a very few players do, and the vast majority of them are goalkeepers and defenders (where the lost speed is almost properly compensated by increased maturity and experienced positioning).

    Even in his final years he produced key passes and assists in such quality and quantity that would make even those midfielders jealous, who don’t have much to do besides passing. He was a rare type of athlete who clearly loved to play, and who – by merely watching him – made the observer enjoy the game. Bergkamp fully deserved the legend status as well as the statue outside the Emirates stadium.

    Here is a clip to feel nostalgic:

  • Cheers Pb, very beautifully said. Fully agreed of course, and you are spot on about Dennis’ ball lobbing qualities. We just don’t see that anymore these days. 🙂

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