Premiership giant deletes post congratulating retired Russian player

English football club Arsenal has backpedaled on its happy birthday greetings to former player Andrey Arshavin, who is a Russian national. The original message quickly attracted flak from pro-Ukrainian Twitter users. 

A tweet posted by the club on Monday featured a video clip of the Russian star at the height of his career at Arsenal, and read: “Wishing you a great day, Andrey.” 

The former winger, who has turned 42, played for the club from 2009 to 2012, chalking up a total of 144 appearances and scoring memorable goals.  

However, pro-Ukrainian users slammed Arsenal, insisting that it was inappropriate to congratulate the former player. Critics pointed out that Arshavin appears a regular guest on Russian state TV.  

One user commented that last year, the former player had said he would serve in Russia’s army against Ukraine “if conscripted.” 

Ukrainian football account @ZoryaLondonsk, in turn, remarked that it was “another week… and another club throwing itself into a social media scandal involving ‘good fortune’ towards a Russian.” 

Arsenal eventually caved in and deleted the tweet amid the backlash.   

When asked last October by Russia’s Sport24 media outlet about what he would do if he was called up as part of the partial mobilization in the country, Arshavin said he “would go to the recruitment office.”  

“I know that some have left, fled – I certainly won’t flee,” the footballer added.