The public has voted Arsene Wenger, Arsenal football club's manager, as their 2013 language champion. Wenger's longstanding commitment to the languages, and his work championing language learning for children through sport, was recognised at an awards ceremony on Wednesday 27 November held in central London.

"Being voted Britain's first ever public language champion is an incredible honour," Arsene Wenger said. "I am very proud that Arsenal and I can help raise the profile of language learning in schools."

Wenger is the first recipient of the Guardian's language award, announced today alongside the British Academy's 2013 schools language awards winners. The public language champion award is part of the British Academy and Guardian's language learning series and campaign to start a national debate on language learning.

Wendy Berliner, head of professional networks at The Guardian, said: "This award is a key part of a two-year commitment with the British Academy to raising public dialogue over language learning. There were five very worthy people in our short list, which was opened to a public vote, and it is wonderful to see the work of the multilingual Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal Double Club [its innovative language-teaching programme] recognised in this way."

Throughout Wenger's illustrious career at the helm of Arsenal – he started as manager in 1996 – languages have played a crucial role. Wenger is fluent in English, French and German and learned Japanese while coaching Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan.

In 1998, following the successful league and cup double-winning campaign led by Wenger, Arsenal set up its Double Club to fuse education and football for young people, with a particular focus on languages.

Wenger added: "I hope that this award and Arsenal's Double Club can show that learning a new language does not always have to be a challenge and sport can help make it enjoyable learning."