Aaron Ramsdale has revealed shocking details of his private struggles last season amid Arsenal Premier League title chase.
Fans are always greeted with the sleek and glitzy side of footballers’ lifestyle as portrayed by the media but beyond glam and flamboyant lifestyles lies deep personal troubles, fears, and struggles one may not know. Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale is a perfect example.
After a spell with lower division clubs in English football, the stars lined up for the England international in 2021 as he completed that big move to top Premier League side Arsenal.
Despite failing in the challenge for the Premier League title last season, Aaron Ramsdale hit the peak of his career at Arsenal and has bagged several individual awards since joining the club, including the Premier League goalkeeper of the month award.
In the seething Premier League title challenge with Manchester City last season, Aaron Ramsdale headlined the Gunners’ battle producing astonishing saves and stops to keep the Gunners on the race before finally dropping off after William Saliba’s injury deflated Arsenal’s defense lineup.
Overall, it was a successful season for the English star.
Away from the field, Ramsdale’s love life took center stage. After courting Georgina Irwin, the pair regularly shared loved-up moments as they relish their honeymoon.
The relationship hit another level when Ramsdale lit it with a cosmetic marriage proposal in 2022.
Everything seems to have clicked for the fast-rising English shotstopper as he dropped to his knee and proposed to Irwin, a flight attendant.
It was all rosy between the couple as fans saw it from the outside but within, it was a nightmare for Aaron Ramsdale.
Speaking to the Player’s Tribune, Aaron Ramsdale has detailed the nightmares that serenaded his private life amid the gloss of a great career with Arsenal and a blossoming love life with Irwin.
Directly alluding to fans who think it is always a bliss for footballers, Aaron Ramsdale said a lot of things usually goes on in a footballer’s private life that most fans don’t know, citing himself as an example.
Ramsdale revealed 2022 was one of the most difficult years of his life both in his career and private life. The 25-year-old narrated how the joy of expecting a new-born with Irwin was cut short with the sad news of a miscarriage when they were still relishing their honeymoon after the 2022 World Cup.
The pair had went on a holiday after the World Cup but on their way back to London, Ramsdale said Irwin had a miscarriage – an experience which proved so painful and he only relayed to his teammates and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Another poignant moment in Ramsdale’s narration is Arteta’s handling of the issue. According to him, Mikel Arteta showed incredible empathy and had asked to let him go on a temporary break to deal with the issue – a gesture that has made him retain enormous respect for the Spaniard.
“There are things that go on in our lives that the public has no idea about, and the past year has been an emotional rollercoaster for me and my family”, Ramsdale narrates to Players Tribune.
“After the high of climbing to the top of the Premier League table and going off to my first World Cup, my wife and I found out that we were expecting our first child.
“Mikel gave me a few extra days off after the World Cup, so we went on a brief holiday. It was genuinely the happiest time of our lives. And yeah… there’s no easy way to say this, but I feel like it’s important that people know.…
“On the flight home, my wife had a miscarriage.
“There’s really no way that I can describe the pain of that six-hour flight back to London, even now. I just want people out there to know that they’re not alone if they’re going through it themselves.
“When we got back, I didn’t tell many people what happened. Only my family, my teammates, and of course Mikel. He was fantastic about everything.
“Even in the middle of the title race, with so much pressure on the club, he asked me if I needed some time off to deal with everything. Mikel went above and beyond to make sure me and my family were OK.
“For me, that’s a manager.”
Months after announcing his engagement, Aaron Ramsdale got married to Irwin in a glamorous wedding ceremony.
Despite the temporary setback in the relationship due to the miscarriage, Aaron Ramsdale and Irwin are now on high lanes on their relationship. The pair took to social media to announce they are expecting another baby soon after the miscarriage.
Ramsdale will hope to continue on his prolific career with Arsenal as the 2023/24 Premier League season kicks off.
Arsenal are on the chase of Brentford goalkeeper David Raja and have agreed personal terms with the player. They have tabled a £23m bid for the player, £17m less than Brentford’s £40m asking price.
Despite David Raya’s imminent switch to the Emirates, Aaron Ramsdale will still retain his spot as the Gunners’ first choice goalie but will likely face a stiffer competition from Arsenal’s goalkeeper bench next season.
