Zahran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York, sparked widespread reactions in sports and media circles after openly expressing his passion for the English club Arsenal and its former players, especially the former Moroccan international star Marouane Chamakh.

Mamdani's controversial statement came during his appearance on an American podcast, where he was asked about his passion for football. The mayor responded in an unexpected way, indicating that his connection to the London club is deep and goes beyond the current stars.

Mamdani said in his statement: "Every day, when I wake up, I think of Sebastian Squillaci and Pascal Siakam... and Marouane Chamakh!"

Mamdani's choice of names like Chamakh, who played for Arsenal between 2010 and 2013, is evidence of his close attention to the team, especially since Chamakh was one of the players who did not leave a significant mark on the Gunners' fans.

The statement received significant attention on Arab social media platforms, particularly Moroccan ones, where activists expressed their pride in the Moroccan player whose reputation has reached the highest political levels in the United States.

It is worth mentioning that Marouane Chamakh (39 years old) was considered one of the top forwards in the Moroccan national team and had a distinguished football career in Europe, especially with the French club Bordeaux.