It was a random call at the end of 2022 that stopped the Arsenal hierarchy in its tracks.
The Gunners had started their Premier League campaign strongly, seeking their first league title since the 2004 Invincibles.
However, former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, a staple of that record-breaking team that went unbeaten in the league for an entire season, got in touch to tell the club that he had secured the trademark rights to the Invincibles before the 20 years. anniversary.
The label given to one of Arsenal’s greatest achievements in its 137-year history was no longer theirs.
The club was shocked. They had never thought about obtaining the trademark before, nor did they know that anyone was in the process of doing so.
Jens Lehmann has secured the brand rights to the Invincibles ahead of the team’s 20th anniversary
Lehmann can prevent any other brand from being called The Invincibles, including his former employers (Pictured: Arsenal’s The Invincibles of 2003-04)
Arsenal were unbeaten for an entire Premier League campaign in 2003-04, the only team to do so in the division.
Especially since, at that time, 16 years had passed since the feat. Lehmann began the process in late 2020, which was approved two years later and has cost him up to £30,000. It means the German has the legal right to prevent any other brand from naming itself as The Invincibles, including his former employers.
“I had the idea because the name Invincibles becomes more and more popular as the 20th anniversary approaches,” he tells Mail Sport. ‘And nobody had it, so I was looking into it. I was ready to get the trademark rights for our group, so everyone who uses it is violating our trademark.
‘Sometimes there are kids from all over Europe, Africa or Asia who were using that. They could have done it without permission and called themselves “Invincible Whatever.” And they can’t do it anymore.
‘They (the club) were probably a little surprised because no one thought to register the trademark. At least they know they are controlling it now.”
Arsenal are understood to have taken no steps to challenge the trademark. If they had, it would have been complicated.
Sam O’Toole, senior associate solicitor at Briffa Legal, said: “I imagine the club would have wished they had thought about registering the title when it became known for it back in the day.”
“If the club had had problems it wouldn’t even have been an issue as they would have already owned the trademark because the achievement, the registration of the trademark itself, would have been owned by the club.
“If they try to cancel the player’s trademark, it will probably end in a long dispute.”
Now that the 54-year-old has the brand secured, his plans are ambitious, to say the least. Three production companies have approached him since September to propose making an Invincibles documentary this summer.
No one at Arsenal had thought to register the name and the club has taken no steps to block Lehmann.
Lehmann says the entire team, including Arsene Wenger, is okay with him setting up a company this summer.
Lehmann says he, his former teammates and the coaching staff are currently in talks with them.
Meanwhile, he is in the process of setting up a company before this summer, which he claims the entire team is with, including former manager Arsene Wenger.
It is understood that an overseas tour, a match against Manchester United in 2004 or a team of former players from across the league and Invincibles memorabilia are on the group’s radar.
He says: ‘We have 28 players and 12 staff, including the boss (Wenger). The company has not been created yet because we are preparing.
‘Very soon there will be one or two events here where we will give something back to people. They will all be shareholders of the company.
‘It is easier to bring all the members of our group into a single company, because you have costs that you have created yourself and you do not distribute them among 30 people.
“If we have income, we will do something for a (Arsenal-related) charity.”
When looking at the 2004 team, the sheer force of personalities emerges. The tough Martin Keown, world champion Thierry Henry and the physically imposing Patrick Vieira are just three of them.
The 2004 champion team had a huge range of personalities in its locker room.
The physically imposing talismanic leader Patrick Vieira was the leader of the Invincible side.
You’d think it would be a fly on the wall from their reactions when they found out about the brand situation. But Lehmann says it was just the opposite.
“I think most players really appreciate it,” he says. ‘We will come together as a group and do something together. And hopefully, we’ll have fun. We will be united again after 20 years.
The former goalkeeper suggested that most of his former teammates “really appreciate him”
‘Until now, they wouldn’t have wanted that (getting the brand) because it’s a lot of work. So far they are only production costs! £20,000 to £30,000 (in the last two years) to register, pay fees etc.
Arsenal are extremely proud of the Invincibles nickname, having used the name in a variety of ways to showcase the achievement. Justly. Many players on the squad are still intertwined with the club.
Edu is sports director and Gilberto Silva is an ambassador of the club, for example. The question arises: does the club store sell Invincibles products? Are they allowed to do so?
“I’m aware of it,” he explains. ‘The lady at the store said it sells like gold dust!
‘It’s something we haven’t discussed yet. I don’t make decisions on my own. We have to discuss everything, talk to the club. And then the club will probably come up with other good ideas.
‘If shareholders say we have to do something, yes, we may have to do something. But if the shareholders say: “Well, let’s let the club do what they want with it and create other attractive opportunities for us…” You know, like I said, everyone (and the club) will be happy.
‘We could have an event in the Emirates. That’s why the club is very important.”
Former Invincible Edu (left) is the club’s current sporting director and one of several Invincibles still involved with the Gunners.
Arsenal seek their first Premier League title since 2003-04 with Manchester City
The 20th anniversary will be celebrated in two weeks’ time as Arsenal chase Manchester City in the league. It is their only chance to win a title this season, since they were eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich last month.
If the Gunners fail to win the title this year, the number of years since the Invincibles’ feat will continue to grow.
“Of course, the achievement becomes greater the more years go by without anyone winning it undefeated,” he adds.
“But obviously I want the current team to win the championship this year because that will be great for the club. That will be great for the brand and it would be great for us.”
