In English football, "The Invincibles" is a nickname that has been used to refer to the Preston North End team of the 1888–89 season, managed by William Sudell, and the Arsenal team of the 2003–04 season managed by Arsène Wenger. Preston North End earned the nickname after completing an entire season undefeated in league and cup competition (27 games ), while Arsenal were undefeated in the league only (38 games ). The actual nickname of the Preston team was the "Old Invincibles", but both versions have been in use.
The term "Invincibles" has also been used elsewhere in European football. Italian clubs Milan and Juventus received the nickname after winning the 1991–92 and 2011 –12 Serie A titles respectively. Celtic earned the nickname after going unbeaten across domestic league and cup competition during the 2016 –17 season in Scotland. In Greece, PAOK have earned the nickname after winning the 2018 –19 championship undefeated.
Preston North End
Preston North End became known as "The Invincibles" after they won the inaugural Football League competition in 1888–89, completing the season unbeaten in both the league and the FA Cup, so becoming the first team ever to achieve the "Double". Preston's league record was 18 wins, 4 draws and 0 losses, out of 22 games played, while their cup record was 5 wins out of 5 rounds played and they won the FA Cup without conceding a goal.In his autobiography, Tom Finney wrote: "The championship stayed with North End — by now tagged the Old Invincibles — the following year, but runners-up spot had to suffice for the next three seasons".Preston's unbeaten run stretched to one game the following season, their first league defeat came away to Aston Villa in the second game, losing 5–3. Of the seven teams to have completed the Double in England, Preston remain the only one to have done so unbeaten.
