David Raya is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. At Brentford, he helped the Bees fight against the relegation odds to keep them in the division, whilst since joining Arsenal in the summer of 2023, his performance levels have improved. The Spaniard helped the Gunners finish second in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, narrowly missing out on glory to Manchester City on the final day.
He’s unsurprisingly loved by Arsenal fans. With his composure, relaxed nature and reflex saves, the 28-year-old has helped the Gunners on countless occasions, which even saw him win the Golden Glove in May 2024. The list of positives is nearly endless for the former Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper; no one expected him to displace Aaron Ramsdale so quickly, but he did with ease.
However, he has likely received some stick and jokes from his Gunners teammates due to his neck tattoo. We have outlined what it is, why he has it and how it could have quickly ruined a blossoming relationship with Arsenal fans.
What is David Raya’s Neck Tattoo?
It’s the date of Brentford’s first-ever Premier League victory against Arsenal
Raya’s tattoo is the numbers “13-08-21” written on the back of his net. At first, you might think that means nothing; it clearly outlines the 13th August 2021 in English format, but eventually, everyone realised what occurred on that day. As the COVID-19 Pandemic ended and the lockdown lifted, Raya made his Premier League debut, which is obviously a special moment in anyone’s career and always worth remembering.
However, it came whilst he was playing for Brentford, so the slightly awkward situation is that it occurred when the Bees played their first-ever Premier League match, beating now Raya’s club Arsenal 2-0 at a sold-out G-Tech Community Stadium. It was the perfect day for the Spaniard. Seven years after his professional debut, he had finally made it to the top flight — and the Bees looked like a nuisance to play again.
