It's Only Kids Football Kieran Gibbs: What it really takes to survive at Arsenal’s Academy
In this episode of It’s Only Kids Football, Ben and Mike are joined by former Arsenal and England full-back Kieran Gibbs for a chat about the grassroots experiences that shaped his professional journey and the mission driving his post-playing career.
From Sunday mornings with the Purley Panthers to the pressure cooker of Hale End and winning trophies with the Gunners, Kieran shares vivid memories, hard lessons and the importance of keeping the joy in kids’ football.
He talks candidly about the emotional highs and lows—from missing a penalty as a kid to battling for his scholarship at Arsenal—and how having a twin brother by his side helped him reach the top.
Now based in Miami, Kieran explains how he's channelling those experiences into One FC, a youth academy aiming to shift the culture of American soccer.
Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/
One FC
https://onefcmiami.com/
https://www.instagram.com/onefcmiami/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itsonlykidsfootballpodcast/
Email: itsonlykidsfootballpodcast@gmail.com
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