Nicklas Bendtner names one team-mate he never got on with at Arsenal

Updated: 15 Dec, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Nicklas Bendtner names one team-mate he never got on with at Arsenal

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Nicklas Bendtner has revealed there was only one teammate he never got along with during his professional career: former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

The outspoken Dane, who enjoyed a colourful and often controversial spell in north London, clashed with several figures during his playing days.

However, despite public perceptions, Bendtner insists he never fell out with club legend Thierry Henry, even though their relationship was not without tension.

Instead, it was Adebayor who stood out as the one player Bendtner simply could not connect with.

'From the First Moment, It Was a Bad Vibe'

Speaking to talkSPORT in a 2020 interview, Bendtner reflected on his strained relationship with Adebayor, with whom he played up front at Arsenal between 2006 and 2009.

We never liked each other. Apart from that I got on with most people.

We sat next to each other in the changing room. He was 25, I was 26, from the first moment we saw each other it was just a bad vibe. That never changed.

Both players were competing for prominence in Arsène Wenger's side during a crucial period for the club, and their lack of chemistry soon became apparent.

Infamous Tottenham Clash

The tension between the two strikers boiled over during Arsenal's humiliating 5-1 League Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in 2008.

A heated on-pitch altercation spilled into the dressing room, eventually leading to disciplinary action.

We had some small bust-ups in the changing room and that quite big one in Tottenham where it sort of blew out of proportion.

We got hammered 5-1, we were so bad and the disappointment of letting the fans and team down just got out of hand between us.

The incident resulted in both players being summoned to Wenger's office the following day, where fines were handed out and clear expectations set.

It got explained how we had to learn how to deal with each other on a professional level and on a personal level.

It was actually quite a good way of learning how to work with someone that you really disliked.

Football's Long History of Fractured Partnerships

Bendtner's admission is far from unique in football.

History is littered with elite partnerships built on success rather than friendship, with Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham famously failing to see eye to eye during their time together at Manchester United.

Despite their personal animosity, Bendtner and Adebayor still contributed to a productive period under Wenger - a reminder that professional success does not always require personal harmony.

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