The real reason why Mikel Arteta kisses his ring finger during Arsenal matches

The reason why Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta kisses his ring finger before every half has finally been revealed.

Despite injuries that threatened to derail their season, Arsenal have performed well so far in the Premier League, winning three of their four matches, including their trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the North London derby.

While watching Arsenal's matches this season, some fans have noticed that before every half, manager Arteta kisses his ring finger.

And now, the reason for the Spaniard's match ritual has finally been revealed.

Arteta has a tattoo of the first letter of his wife's name tattooed on his ring finger, and before each half his side plays he kisses it as a superstition and to let his wife know he is thinking of her.

Lorena Bernal, a former Miss Spain winner who now works as a life coach and actress, married Arteta in 2010, after six years of dating.

The pair met in a nightclub in San Sebastian, Spain in 2002 while Arteta played for Ranger, and immediately hit it off.

The couple has three children together, Gabriel, born in 2009, Daniel, born in 2012 and their third child, Oliver, who was born in 2015.

And as a sign of commitment to each other, after getting married they each had their partner's initial tattooed on their index finger.

Mikel Arteta and Lorena Bernal have been married for 14 years and have three children together. (Image: Getty)

Speaking about his wife to The Telegraph in March 2023, Arteta said: "I just fell in love very quickly, as soon as I saw her I think I knew she was for me.

"But I had to work hard, she did well on that. Since that day I couldn't have found anybody better to have as a partner travelling the world and experiencing life together."

He later told the BBC in May: “She has changed my life. She has changed my perception about life.

“We have navigated many, many different situations, some of them fascinating, some of them really difficult.

"I have that feeling with her that we never get bored. I can be sitting there five hours, 10 hours, go anywhere in the world and enjoy and have fun and laugh."