Robert Pires facts for kids

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Robert Pires

Pires in 2011

Personal information

Full name

Robert Emmanuel Pires

Date of birth

29 October 1973 (age 51)

Place of birth

Reims, France

Height

1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)

Position(s)

Winger, attacking midfielder

Youth career

1980–1989

Reims Sainte-Anne

1989–1991

Reims

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

1991–1992

Reims

(2)

1992–1993

Metz B

(5)

1993–1998

Metz

162

(43)

1998–2000

Marseille

(8)

2000–2006

Arsenal

189

(62)

2006–2010

Villarreal

103

(13)

2010–2011

Aston Villa

(0)

2014–2015

Goa

(1)

Total

565

(134)

International career

1995–1996

France U21

(5)

1996–2004

France

(14)

Medal record


Men's football
Representing France
FIFA World Cup
Winner	1998
UEFA European Championship
Winner	2000
FIFA Confederations Cup
Winner	2001
Winner	2003

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Pires, born on October 29, 1973, is a famous French former professional footballer. Many people think he is one of the best players ever for Arsenal. Some even say he was one of the greatest wingers in the history of football.

Before joining Arsenal, Pires played for French clubs Metz and Marseille. At Arsenal, he helped the team win three FA Cups and two Premier League titles. One of these titles was in the 2003–04 season, when Arsenal went the entire season without losing a single game!

Pires also played for the French national team from 1996 to 2004, playing 79 games. He was part of the teams that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. He was also named the Player of the Tournament in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. Football legend Pelé even included him in his list of the top 100 greatest living footballers, called FIFA 100. Arsenal fans voted him the sixth greatest player in the club's history.

Pires mostly played as a left winger. This means he played on the side of the field, helping to attack and create chances. He could also play in other midfield roles or just behind the main striker. After his playing career, Pires also worked as a coach at Arsenal.

Early Life and Football Dreams
Club Career Highlights
International Career for France
Personal Life
Career Statistics Summary
Honours and Awards
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Football Dreams

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

His dad, António, played football for a local team, and Robert would watch him play every Saturday. This helped Robert fall in love with the sport. When he was 15, Pires left school to chase his dream of becoming a professional footballer. He joined a two-year sports program in Reims. He continued to play for Reims and eventually got called up to play for their main team four years later.

Club Career Highlights

Playing in France

Pires started his professional career at the Metz youth academy. He played his first senior game in 1993. During his six years at Metz, he scored 43 goals in 162 matches. He also helped them win the Coupe de la Ligue in 1996.

After his success at Metz, Pires moved to Marseille in 1998. His first season there was very close to being a championship-winning one, as Marseille finished second in the league by just one point. They also reached the final of the 1999 UEFA Cup Final, but lost to Parma.

Joining Arsenal

Pires spent six seasons at Arsenal

In 2000, Pires joined Arsenal in England. He made his first appearance for Arsenal in August 2000. At first, it was a bit tough for him to get used to the English style of play, which he found very physical. But he soon found his rhythm.

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 became known for scoring against Arsenal's rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, which he did eight times during his career at Arsenal. He helped Arsenal reach the FA Cup final in his first season, where they lost to Liverpool.

Becoming a Star (2001–2004)

The 2001–02 season was one of Pires's best. He scored some amazing goals, including a memorable lob over the goalkeeper against Aston Villa. He was a top player for assists in the Premier League and was voted the FWA Footballer of the Year and Arsenal's best player of the season. Arsenal won the league title that year. Sadly, he got a serious knee injury (a cruciate ligament injury) later that season, which meant he missed the 2002 FA Cup Final and the 2002 World Cup.

After recovering, Pires returned in November 2002. He worked hard to get back to his best form. In the 2002–03 season, he scored 14 league goals, including three goals in one game against Southampton. He also scored the winning goal in the FA Cup Final against Southampton.

Pires was a key player in Arsenal's amazing 2003–04 season. This was when Arsenal became "The Invincibles," winning the Premier League without losing a single match. Pires and his teammate Thierry Henry were incredible, scoring a combined 57 goals. Pires scored many important goals that season, showing off his skills and technique. He finished the season with 14 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

Pires in 2004

Later Years at Arsenal (2004–2006)

In the 2004–05 season, Pires continued to score, finishing third in the league's top scorers with 14 goals. He also won another FA Cup with Arsenal, beating Manchester United in the final after a penalty shootout.

The 2005–06 season was Pires's last at Arsenal. He helped Arsenal reach the Champions League final against Barcelona. However, he was substituted early in the game after Arsenal's goalkeeper was sent off. Arsenal eventually lost the final.

Pires left Arsenal in May 2006 because he wanted a longer contract, but the club only offered him a one-year extension. He felt that he was no longer a first-choice player for manager Arsène Wenger. Arsenal fans still remember him fondly; in 2008, they voted him the club's sixth greatest player of all time.

Moving to Villarreal

In May 2006, Pires joined Spanish club Villarreal on a free transfer. Unfortunately, he suffered another serious knee injury in a friendly match in August 2006, which kept him out of action for seven months.

He made his return in March 2007 and scored his first goal for Villarreal in a 3–3 draw against Real Betis. He even scored against his former Champions League final opponents, Barcelona, helping Villarreal win 2–0. Pires played a big part in helping Villarreal finish fifth in the league that season, earning them a spot in the UEFA Cup.

In the 2007–08 season, Pires's leadership helped Villarreal finish second in La Liga, which was their best league finish ever. In 2009, he faced Arsenal again in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Villarreal lost, but Arsenal fans gave Pires a very warm welcome. Pires left Villarreal in May 2010 when his contract ended.

Short Spell at Aston Villa

After leaving Villarreal, Pires trained with Arsenal to stay fit. In November 2010, he joined Aston Villa on a six-month contract. He made his debut for Villa later that month. Pires scored his first goal for Aston Villa in an FA Cup win against Blackburn Rovers in January 2011. He left Aston Villa in May 2011.

Playing in India and Retirement

Pires in 2017

In July 2014, Pires announced he would come out of retirement to play in the new Indian Super League. In September 2014, he signed with Goa as their main star player. He was 40 years old at the time and became the team captain.

Pires said he wanted to be part of a new beginning for football in India. He spoke to his former manager, Arsène Wenger, who encouraged him to go. Pires made his debut for Goa in October 2014 and scored his first goal in November 2014. He was released by Goa in March 2015.

On February 25, 2016, Robert Pires officially announced his retirement from professional football. After retiring, Pires started a career as a football coach with the first team at Arsenal. In November 2024, it was announced he would manage one of the teams in the new six-a-side Baller League.

International Career for France

Pires was a very important player for the French national team. He was part of the squads that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. Sadly, he missed the 2002 World Cup because of his knee injury from playing for Arsenal. He also played in the 1996 Olympic Games and Euro 2004.

He 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. In the Euro 2000 final, Pires made a fantastic pass that led to the "golden goal" scored by David Trézéguet, winning the tournament for France.

Personal Life

Robert Pires is married to Jessica Lemarie. They have two children, a daughter named Naia, born in 2005, and a son named Theo, born in 2007.

In 2012, Pires became an ambassador for Grassroot Soccer. This is a group that uses football to teach and inspire communities to help stop the spread of HIV.

Career Statistics Summary

Robert Pires played a total of 565 club matches in his career, scoring 134 goals. For the French national team, he played 79 matches and scored 14 goals.