The first game ever to be played at Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium in 2006 turned out to be a special one in relation to a former attacking hero. His great name is Dennis Bergkamp, known for his incredible vision, mighty skill on the ball and goalscoring prowess.During his 11-year spell with the Gunners he lifted ten major honours, including three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and three Community Shields. The 11th all-time top goalscorer with 120 strikes earned the title of Invincible after helping the North Londoners go undefeated during the 2003/04 season under Arsène Wenger impeccably.A fitting tribute for the Flying DutchmanOn 22 July 2006 a limited capacity crowd of 54,000 people rocked up at the brand-new Emirates Stadium, still one of the finest grounds to this day, for the Flying Dutchman’s testimonial versus Ajax. Fans were welcomed with a classy gift from Arsenal, with special occasion T-shirts left on their seats to wear as they cheered on the man who had played over 400 games in N5.Both sides included grand legends of the game. The special event saw a rare and spectacular showcase up front with Arsenal’s first and second all-time goalscorers playing in the same game on the same side, the majestic names of Thierry Henry (228) and Ian Wright (185). It had never been seen before and has not been seen since.More masters of Arsenal’s past were called upon. David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Freddie Ljungberg, Patrick Vieira, Steve Bould, Marc Overmars, Ray Parlour, Kanu and Emmanuel Petit all appeared to pay tribute to Bergkamp.Legends of Ajax join the celebrationOn the opposite side was one of the most amazing footballers the game has ever seen in Johan Cruyff, who transformed Ajax into a force to be reckoned with during the early 1970s, helping them win the European Cup three times on the trot. On top of that, Marco van Basten came on for the final ten minutes, renowned for his technical skill, calm composure and goalscoring ability, shown after volleying the Netherlands to Euro 88 victory and sealing the Ballon d’Or three times.Ajax would steal the show in the first half with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar firing in the opener in his attempt to ruin Bergkamp’s moment of glory. The Gunners would soon turn the game on its head in favour of the Flying Dutchman within ten minutes of the restart when Henry smashed a typical Dixon cross into the back of the net.As the search for a goal went on for Bergkamp, Kanu wrapped up the 2-1 victory to mark a memorable occasion in Arsenal folklore after his shot bounced off Jaap Stam and crossed the line in the final moments.Once the testimonial was over and done with, Bergkamp, like the gentleman he is, completed a lap of honour, delivered a speech to the crowd and was then lifted onto the shoulders of his welcoming teammates.Despite struggling to make an impact in his one and only game at the Emirates, Bergkamp’s image has remained on the outside of the ground ever since, displayed proudly on one of the banners.To this day, the chant still rings true: “There’s only oooone Dennis Bergkamp, one Dennis Bergkamp, walking along, singing a song, walking in a Bergkamp wonderland!”Liam Harding__________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsDennis Bergkamp’s Testimonial: The First Game at the Emirates9 October 2025, 17:00Wenger’s Wembley Experiment: Financial Gain, Footballing Pain9 October 2025, 15:30Arsenal fans told: Arteta’s £42m signing is playing “like a man possessed”9 October 2025, 14:00The post Dennis Bergkamp’s Testimonial: The First Game at the Emirates appeared first on Just Arsenal News.