Robert Pires facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Robert Pires

Pires in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Robert Emmanuel Pires
Date of birth	(1973-10-29) 29 October 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	Reims, France
Height	1.85 m
Playing position	Winger, attacking midfielder
Youth career
1980–1989	Reims Sainte-Anne
1989–1991	Reims
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1991–1992	Reims	5	(2)
1992–1993	Metz B	23	(5)
1993–1998	Metz	162	(43)
1998–2000	Marseille	66	(8)
2000–2006	Arsenal	189	(62)
2006–2010	Villarreal	103	(13)
2010–2011	Aston Villa	9	(0)
2014–2015	Goa	8	(1)
Total		565	(134)
National team
1995–1996	France U21	12	(5)
1996–2004	France	79	(14)
Honours Men's football Representing  France FIFA World Cup Winner 1998 France UEFA European Championship Winner 2000 Belgium-Netherlands FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2001 Korea/Japan Winner 2003 France
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Robert Emmanuel Pires (born 29 October 1973) is a French former professional footballer. He is known as one of Arsenal's best players ever. Many also consider him one of the best wingers in football history.

Pires played for French clubs Metz and Marseille. Then he joined Arsenal. There, he won three FA Cups and two Premier League titles. This included the amazing 2003–04 season, where Arsenal did not lose a single game.

He also played for the French national team. Pires played 79 games for France between 1996 and 2004. He helped his country win the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. Pires was also named the Player of the Tournament for the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was chosen by Pelé for the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living footballers. Arsenal fans voted him the sixth greatest player in the club's history.

Pires usually played as a left winger. But he could also play in other midfield roles. He could even play to support the main striker. After retiring, Pires became a coach at Arsenal.

Early Life and Football Dreams

Pires was born in Reims, France. His father was Portuguese and his mother was Spanish. Robert was the older of two brothers. Growing up, he often wore football shirts from Benfica (his dad's team) and Real Madrid.

Pires found school a bit hard because he didn't speak French very well at first. His parents spoke only Spanish and Portuguese at home. His love for football came from his father, António. António played for a local team every Saturday. Robert would always go to watch him play.

When he was 15, Pires left school. He started a two-year sports course in Reims to chase his dream of becoming a footballer. He joined Reims and was called up to play for them four years later.

Club Football Journey

Playing in France

Pires started his professional career at the FC Metz youth academy. He played his first senior game in 1993 against Lyon. He played for Metz for six seasons. During this time, he scored 43 goals in 162 matches. He also won the Coupe de la Ligue with them.

After his success at Metz, Olympique de Marseille signed him for £5 million in 1998. His first season with Marseille was good. They almost won the 1998–99 French Division 1 title, missing it by just one point. They also reached the 1999 UEFA Cup Final, but lost to Parma. His second season was more difficult, and he eventually left the club.

Time at Arsenal

Pires spent six seasons at Arsenal

Arsenal signed Pires for £6 million in 2000. Many big clubs like Real Madrid and Juventus also wanted him. He joined Arsenal to replace Marc Overmars. Pires played his first game for Arsenal as a substitute against Sunderland on 19 August 2000.

First Season: 2000–01

At first, Pires found it hard to get used to English football. He even said it was too physical. But he soon found his form. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in October 2000 against Lazio in the Champions League. A few days later, he scored his first league goal against West Ham United. Pires often scored against Arsenal's rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. He scored against them eight times during his career at Arsenal. He scored in an FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham, helping Arsenal reach the final. Arsenal lost the final to Liverpool, but Pires set up Arsenal's goal.

Amazing Season: 2001–02

By the 2001–02 season, Pires was playing brilliantly. He scored fantastic goals against Middlesbrough and Aston Villa. One goal against Aston Villa was especially memorable. He lobbed the ball over a defender and then over the goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel. He also scored in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham at White Hart Lane. This started a streak of five seasons where he scored in the North London Derby away game.

Pires led the Premier League in assists that season. He was voted FWA Footballer of the Year and Arsenal's player of the season. Arsenal won the league title that year. Pires also assisted Dennis Bergkamp's famous pirouette goal against Newcastle United. However, he suffered a serious knee injury (a cruciate ligament injury) in an FA Cup game against Newcastle. This injury meant he missed the 2002 FA Cup Final and the 2002 World Cup.

Coming Back Strong: 2002–03

After a long time recovering, Pires returned to play in November 2002. He came on as a substitute against AJ Auxerre in the UEFA Champions League. Pires worked hard to get back to his best. He scored 14 Premier League goals in 20 starts that season. This included three goals in one game against Southampton. He also scored twice against Fulham, including a winning goal in the last minute. Pires was named the Premier League Player of the Month for February 2003. He finished the season by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup Final against Southampton.

The Invincibles: 2003–04

Pires was a key player in Arsenal's amazing 2003–04 season. They won the Premier League title without losing a single game. This made them the first English top-flight club to do so in 115 years. Pires and his teammate Thierry Henry were vital. Together, they scored 57 goals in all competitions.

Pires started the season slowly but scored a fantastic goal against Liverpool at Anfield. This goal really got his season going. He showed off his amazing skills and finishing. His goals against Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United were especially good. In a match against Chelsea, Pires made a great tackle and run. This helped create space for Patrick Vieira to score, and Arsenal won 2–1. Arsenal then took a big lead in the title race.

Pires also scored in both home and away games against Tottenham Hotspur. He showed his playmaking skills in a goal at White Hart Lane. He helped build up the play and then scored Arsenal's second goal. Arsenal won the league title after that match. Pires ended the season with 14 goals and seven assists in the Premier League. He was Arsenal's second top scorer.

Pires in 2004

More Success: 2004–05

In the 2004–05 season, Pires scored 14 goals in the Premier League. He was the third-highest scorer in the league. Pires also won his second FA Cup winners' medal. He scored in the semi-final against Blackburn Rovers. Arsenal then beat Manchester United in the final after a penalty shootout.

Final Arsenal Season: 2005–06

Pires had a slow start to the 2005–06 season. Other players were sometimes chosen over him. However, his form improved as the season went on. He scored more goals than his rivals for a starting spot. There was a strange moment with a penalty against Manchester City. Pires tried to pass the ball to Thierry Henry from the penalty spot, but Henry missed it.

Highlights that season included scoring at White Hart Lane for the fifth season in a row. This was his last goal against Tottenham. He also scored in the last game played at Highbury, Arsenal's old stadium. Pires played a key role in Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final win against Juventus.

Pires played his last game for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final against Barcelona in Paris. Arsenal lost the game 2–1. Pires was substituted after only 18 minutes because the goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, was sent off. Pires later said that being taken off so early "killed" him. He felt it was a very hard decision to accept.

Leaving Arsenal

During the 2005–06 season, Pires wanted a new two-year contract with Arsenal. However, the club had a rule about players over 30. They only offered him a 12-month extension. His contract ended in June 2006.

In May 2006, Pires decided to join Villarreal in Spain. He left Arsenal on a free transfer after six years. One of the main reasons Pires left was that he felt he was no longer a first-choice player for manager Arsène Wenger. Pires said he was disappointed to be on the bench so often. He also felt that Wenger's decision to take him off in the Champions League final showed a lack of trust.

On 11 July 2008, Arsenal fans voted Pires as the club's sixth greatest player of all time.

Playing for Villarreal

In May 2006, Pires joined Spanish team Villarreal on a two-year contract. He joined for free. Soon after, on 18 August 2006, Pires injured his left knee in a friendly match. He needed surgery and was out of action for seven months.

Pires finally returned to play for Villarreal on 17 March 2007. He came on as a substitute against Real Sociedad. He scored his first league goal for Villarreal on 31 March 2007. This was in a 3–3 draw against Real Betis. On 22 April 2007, Pires started his first game for Villarreal against Barcelona. He scored the first goal in a 2–0 win against the league leaders. This was a sweet moment for him after being taken off early in the Champions League final against Barcelona the year before.

Villarreal finished the season in 5th place. Pires played a big part in their strong finish. They won their last eight games and earned a spot in the UEFA Cup. In the 2007–08 season, Pires helped Villarreal finish second in La Liga. This was their best league finish ever, ahead of Barcelona.

In 2009, Pires played against his old club Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Villarreal lost 4–1 overall. But Pires received a very warm welcome from the Arsenal fans. They sang his name during both games. In May 2010, Villarreal told Pires that his contract would not be extended.

Short Time at Aston Villa

Pires returned to England and trained at Arsenal's training ground to stay fit. On 18 November 2010, the 37-year-old midfielder joined Aston Villa on a six-month contract. He played his first game for Villa on 21 November. It was a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers, which Villa lost 2–0.

Pires scored his first goal for Aston Villa in a 3–1 FA Cup win against Blackburn Rovers on 29 January 2011. His performance in Villa's 4–1 win against Blackburn in the league was praised. In March, Pires said he wanted to stay at Aston Villa for another season. However, he was released by the club on 27 May 2011.

Playing in India and Retirement

Pires in 2017

In July 2014, Pires announced he would come out of retirement. He wanted to help launch the new Indian Super League. On 2 September 2014, FC Goa signed him as their main star player. The 40-year-old became the captain of the team.

Pires said he was excited to be part of a new beginning for football in India. He had offers from other countries but wanted to help football grow in India. He trained hard and spoke to Arsène Wenger about playing in India. Wenger told him to go for it if he had the passion.

Pires played his first league game for Goa on 15 October 2014. On 25 October 2014, he received a two-match ban for insulting another team's manager. He scored his first goal on 13 November 2014 in a 4–1 win against Delhi Dynamos.

FC Goa released Pires on 13 March 2015. On 25 February 2016, Pires officially announced his retirement from professional football. After retiring, Pires became a football coach with the first team at Arsenal.

Playing for France

Pires was a part of France's teams that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. However, he missed the 2002 World Cup because of his injury while playing for Arsenal. He also played in the 1996 Olympic Games and Euro 2004.

Pires played 79 games for France and scored 14 goals. He won the Golden Ball (best player) and Golden Shoe (most goals) awards at the 2001 Confederations Cup. Pires made a crucial assist in the Euro 2000 final. He set up David Trézéguet for the winning "golden goal."

Personal Life

Robert Pires is married to French model Jessica Lemarie. They have two children, a daughter named Naia and a son named Theo.

In 2012, Pires became an ambassador for Grassroot Soccer. This is a group that uses football to teach people about preventing HIV.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pires goal.

List of international goals scored by Robert Pires

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	9 October 1996	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Turkey	4–0	4–0	Friendly
2	26 February 1997	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Netherlands	1–1	2–1	Friendly
3	10 October 1998	Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia	Russia	2–0	3–2	UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
4	13 November 1999	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Croatia	1–0	3–0	Friendly
5	28 May 2000	Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb, Croatia	Croatia	1–0	2–0	Friendly
6	16 August 2000	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	FIFA XI	4–0	5–1	Friendly
7	3 June 2001	Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, Ulsan, South Korea	Mexico	3–0	4–0	2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
8	7 June 2001	Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea	Brazil	1–0	2–1	2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
9	15 August 2001	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Denmark	1–0	1–0	Friendly
10	6 October 2001	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Algeria	4–1	4–1	Friendly
11	30 April 2003	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Egypt	3–0	5–0	Friendly
12	20 June 2003	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	Japan	1–0	2–1	2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
13	22 June 2003	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	New Zealand	5–0	5–0	2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
14	26 June 2003	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Turkey	2–0	3–2	2003 FIFA Confederations Cup

Honours and Awards

Metz

• Coupe de la Ligue: 1995–96

Arsenal

• Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04
• FA Cup: 2002–03, 2004–05
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06

France

• FIFA World Cup: 1998
• UEFA European Championship: 2000
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001, 2003

Individual Awards

• Division 1 Young Player of the Year: 1995–96
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 2001–02
• PFA Team of the Year: 2001–02 Premier League, 2002–03 Premier League, 2003–04 Premier League
• Premier League Player of the Month: February 2003
• Arsenal Player of the Season: 2001−02
• FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 2001
• FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Shoe: 2001
• FIFA 100
• Équipe type spéciale 20 ans des trophées UNFP: 2011

Orders

• Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1998

Images for kids

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  Pires playing in a charity match in March 2014

See also

In Spanish: Robert Pirès para niños