It starts with Jack Wilshere and a football 30 yards away from its destiny, a net guarded by Norwich’s John Ruddy.

Jack Wilshere, an English bulldog of a central midfielder. Chomping away at his opponents’ ankles. But, he’s also really, really good with a football. And so, he passed it to Santi Cazorla, the little Spanish magician. And that little Spanish magician passed it into a beautiful Frenchman called Olivier Giroud.

What happened next was footballing perfection. An inflated sack of air being kicked around a field of grass in such a way that it gives you goosebumps. That you remember that sack of inflated air being kicked around a field of grass five years after it was kicked around that field of grass.

The beautiful Frenchman Olivier Giroud flicked his beautiful heel at the ball which was then flicked back to him by that English bulldog Jack Wilshere’s heel and then Giroud flicked the ball through four Norwich defenders to the industrious Wilshere who didn’t stop running and Wilshere slotted the ball past John Ruddy into his net as he stood in absolute awe of the event that had just occurred in front of him.

Just five passes and one shot on goal that will be forever remembered as when football peaked. Nothing will ever be as beautiful as Jack Wilshere’s goal that day. The first eye contact between you and your newborn son, The moment you turn around and see your future wife walking down the aisle towards you; NOTHING will be as beautiful as Jack Wilshere’s goal that day.

Words: Sam Carter I Subbing: Lee Pearson

Five years ago today: Total Football at the Emirates 🔥🔥🔥

Elite team move 👏 pic.twitter.com/xIBhK27HH5

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 19, 2018