"I cannot think but I’m sure there are a lot," he said back in March 2023 when asked who he idolises. "Someone I admire for a long time is Rafa Nadal because of his mentality, what he’s won, the way he’s done it, how many times he’s come back. For me he would be in top of the list for sure."
Having won 22 grand slam titles in tennis, Arteta's comments make perfect sense with it likely a sad day for him to see such a legend bring his career at the elite level to a close. In the video posted to social media announcing his retirement, Nadal explained why he had chosen to make such a decision.
In a portion of his message, he said: "I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, the last two especially. I don't think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make.
"But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined." Messages from global icons of sport have since flooded in with Cristiano Ronaldo among those leading tributes to his prestigious career.
Merino was also on hand to send a clear message which made his thoughts on where Nadal ranks among his peers perfectly clear. On Instagram, he reposted Nadal's video with a star and goat emoji, something Arteta will likely agree with.
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