Michigan senator Abdul El-Sayed is a loud and proud Arsenal fan
Abdul El-Sayed has just made history. The doctor, academic and politician recently became the US's first Muslim senator, as he won the U.S. Senate race in the state of Michigan.
“You took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates,” El-Sayed addressed the crowd. “You welcomed me in your homes, your churches, your synagogues.”
El-Sayed's victory in Michigan is a historic milestone, as it marks the first time a Muslim has ever been elected to the U.S. Senate.
Abdul El-Sayed loves Arsenal
Back in May of this year, Abdul El-Sayed was loud and proud in his support of Arsenal. He quoted a post from the official Arsenal account with a simple one-word message: "COYG!"
'COYG' means Come on You Gunners, and it is an initialism you will often see online. It has become symbolic of the Arsenal fanbase, so El-Sayed didn't hide his football loyalties when he posted this.
Since this was posted in May, El-Sayed's post has amassed over one million views and counting. As you can imagine, Arsenal fans were quick to rush to this post after his victory was made official.
Many Arsenal fans flocked to the replies to show their embrace of El-Sayed, claiming him as 'our senator.'
Arsenal representation in U.S. politics is nothing new. The Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, is a devout Arsenal fan - it was a particularly rewarding year for Mamdani in his sports fandoms, watching both the New York Knicks and Arsenal finally deliver on bringing a championship to their fans.
Of course, this trend of Arsenal fandom within U.S. politics was not lost on Arsenal fans.
Arsenal is the culture club, and its popularity doesn't end in North London
Arsenal is one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Scratch that, we are one of the biggest sports teams in the world.
It is easy to forget the sheer size of Arsenal. It might just feel like a club in a small borough of North London, and geographically that's true, but it reaches far beyond just the Emirates Stadium.
When Arsenal won the Premier League in May, it sent shockwaves throughout the sporting world. Support and celebration amassed in every corner of the world, and let's be honest here: it was a magnificent level of support that Man City could only dream of.
How the football world reacted to Arsenal's Premier League title win
Visiting the U.S.A., I am often surprised by how well-known Arsenal are across the pond. I went into a store in Denver, Colorado, last year, and I was surprised to see an Arsenal shirt, loud and proud, among the likes of the Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets merchandise.
Support for Arsenal is everywhere, and as it turns out, even Abdul El-Sayed will be bringing Arsenal fandom into his new role as a U.S. senator from Michigan.
