Robert Pirès

Robert Pirès
Personal information
Full name	Robert Emmanuel Pirès
Date of birth	29 October 1973 (1973-10-29) (age 35)
Place of birth	Reims, France
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Winger, Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	Villarreal
Number	7
Youth clubs
1989–1992 1992–1993	Reims FC Metz
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1992–1998 1998–2000 2000–2006 2006–	FC Metz Marseille Arsenal Villarreal	162 (43) 066 0(8) 189 (62) 054 0(8)
National team2
1996–2004	France	079 (14)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:02, 01 Nov 2008 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 19 December 2005. * Appearances (Goals)

Robert Emmanuel Pirès (born 29 October 1973 in Reims, France) is a French international football player. He is married to Jessica Lemarie, with whom he has two children.

He plays for Villarreal CF as a winger. He normally plays on the left wing but can play all across midfield or in a position to support the striker(s).

Biography

French League career

Pirès is a graduate of the FC Metz youth academy, making his senior debut in 1993, against Lyon. During his six seasons there, he scored 43 goals in 162 matches, and won the Coupe de la Ligue, prompting a £5 million move to Olympique de Marseille in 1998. At Marseille, Pirès had a mixed two-year stay. His first season saw him miss the French league title by a point, and his second season saw him suffer a spate of on- and off-field problems, which led him to boycott the club at the season's end.

Arsenal

He was signed by Arsenal for £6 million in 2000, after stiff competition from Real Madrid and Juventus, replacing Marc Overmars who had left for FC Barcelona for a record £25 million. Initially, Pirès' form was indifferent, and some people criticised him after his comments that the English game was too physical. However, he slowly began to regain the form he had shown at Metz, scoring a superb solo goal against Lazio in the 2000–01 Champions League, and the winner against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semi-finals; however Arsenal went on to lose the Cup final to Liverpool 2–1.

By 2001–02, Pirès had fully got to grips with the English game and had one of his best seasons. Pirès scored some superb goals against Middlesbrough F.C. and Aston Villa. Against Aston Villa, Pirès chased after a long ball by Freddie Ljungberg, and lobbed the ball over the pursuing George Boateng, and finished off the move with a delightful chip over Peter Schmeichel. He led the Premiership assist charts and was voted both FWA Footballer of the Year and Arsenal's player of the season, as Arsenal won the league title. This was despite not playing the last two months of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in a FA Cup match against Newcastle United.

After a lengthy layoff, Pirès made his comeback in November 2002 as a substitute against Auxerre in the UEFA Champions League. Initially Pirès found it tough, but he finally found his form, scoring 14 Premiership goals in 20 starts that season, including a hat-trick against Southampton in the penultimate day of the season. Pirès was voted Barclaycard Player of the Month for February 2003. Pirès capped off his season by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup Final against Southampton.

He went on to be a crucial part of Arsenal's quest for the Premiership title in the 2003–04 season, which they achieved, remaining unbeaten and becoming the first English top flight club to do so in 115 years. Pirès and his Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry were instrumental in that season, scoring a combined 57 goals in all competitions. Pirès made a sluggish start to the campaign, but a wondergoal against Liverpool F.C. at Anfield kick-started his season. Pirès showed football fans his sublime technique, skills and finishing, most notably with his goals against Liverpool, Bolton, Leeds. He surprised a lot of people with a world class tackle on Claude Makelele and following that, a run into the penalty box which dragged William Gallas and John Terry away, thus making space for Patrick Vieira to have a one on one with the Chelsea goalkeeper, and subsequently scoring. Arsenal won that match 2–1, with Vieira's goal the equaliser. That day of EPL action proved decisive, as Man Utd's failure to beat Leed's United during the same day resulted in Arsenal getting a huge lead in the title race. Arsenal never lost 1st place in the table for the rest of the season. More notably, Pirès will always be remembered for a game in the UEFA Champions League 1st leg match against Chelsea, Quarter-Finals, where he managed to beat John Terry to a header, which resulted in getting the equaliser for Arsenal, after Eidur Gudjohnson had given Chelsea the lead. Unfortunately for Arsenal and Pirès, they were eliminated after they lost 1–2 in the return leg, courtesy of a 87th minute Wayne Bridge goal. Pirès also showed his playmaking skills in the wonderfully crafted goal against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, in which Pirès was the architect in building up the goal, and capped off the move with a sublime finish to score Arsenal's 2nd goal of the game. Tottenham refused to give up, and managed to claw their way back and claimed a 2–2 draw. Despite that, Arsenal won the title after the match. Pirès finished that season with an impressive tally of 14 goals and 7 assists in the English Premier League. He was Arsenal's second top scorer (behind Thierry Henry) and had the joint amount of assists (along with Dennis Bergkamp) that season.

In the 2004–05 season, Pirès finished third in the Premiership goalscorers table with 14 goals, behind team-mate Thierry Henry and Crystal Palace's Andrew Johnson. Pirès also picked up a second FA Cup winners' medal after Arsenal beat Manchester United on penalties. Pirès was replaced by Edu in the 2nd half of extra time in that match.

During the 2005–06 season, Pirès wrangled with Arsenal over a new contract, in the hope of a new two-year deal. In keeping with the club's policy regarding players over 30, Pirès was only offered a 12-month extension to his contract, which expired in June 2006. Pirès started the season poorly, and players such as Freddie Ljungberg, José Antonio Reyes and Alexander Hleb were preferred to him on both wings. As the season progressed, though, Pirès's form improved, outscoring his selection rivals overall. Pirès played his last game for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions league final against Barcelona, in which he was substituted after goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's sending off during the match. Pirès ended the season as Arsenal's joint second top scorer (along with Robin Van Persie).

In May 2006 he agreed to an offer from Villarreal^[1] after a month of speculation, during which time he played against Villareal in the Champions League semi-final. One of the main reasons Pirès gave for leaving Arsenal was that he felt he was no longer a first choice under Arsene Wenger. Pirès was quoted saying, "I have to say I have had some disappointments this season. For instance, I was on the bench very often." Pirès additionally suggested that Wenger's decision to withdraw him in the UEFA Champions League Final showed he had slipped in the eyes of his French boss. Pirès said that he felt hurt by how Arséne Wenger did not trust him anymore, which was a major factor that convinced him that it was time to move on from Arsenal.

Arsenal fans and players alike were saddened by Pirès's departure. His ex-Arsenal teammate Cesc Fàbregas told the August 2006 edition of the Sky magazine how sad it was to lose him.

On the official Arsenal matchday program for the game against Wigan Athletic on 11 February 2007, Pires revealed his heartbreak of being substituted so early on during the game against Barcelona. Pires stated: "I was very disappointed. When I saw my number on the fourth official’s board to be substituted, I couldn’t believe it. It was my last game after six years at the Club, a Champions League Final in front of all my family in Paris where I became World Cup champion and it lasted just 12 minutes. That was very hard to take."

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

Villarreal

In May 2006 Robert Pirès agreed to join Spanish side Villarreal. He joined on a free transfer, subject to passing a medical, bringing to an end his six-year career as an Arsenal player. Pires was officially unveiled as a Villarreal player on 3 July 2006. He scored his first goal for the club in 3–3 pre-season draw with Newcastle United (5 August 2006). However, on 18 August 2006, Robert damaged the cruciate ligament in his left knee in a friendly match against Cádiz and required corrective surgery to alleviate the problem which kept him out of action for seven months in his new club in Spanish top flight.

Pirès finally recovered from knee injury and made his first league appearance for Villarreal as a second-half substitute when he was named in Villareal's squal to face Real Sociedad on 17 March 2007. Pirès scored his first league goal on his return from injury in a 3–3 draw away to Real Betis on 31 March 2007. After three appearances as a substitute, Pirès made his first start for Villareal on 22 April 2007 against Barcelona. He opened the scoring for his team to defeat league leaders Barcelona 2–0, avenging his premature departure against Barcelona in the Champions League Final the previous May. On 13 May 2007, in a thumping 4–1 win at Osasuna, the former France midfielder gave the visitors the perfect start with a seventh-minute opener as Villarreal continued their late-season push for a European spot. The run took the "The Yellow Submarine ," sinking at 11th spot without him in the side, to the brink of a UEFA Cup place in barely six weeks. Villarreal ended the season in 5th spot wherein Pirès played crucial roles in helping Villareal with the late charge up winning each of their final eight games and an entry into the UEFA Cup.

With the ongoing saga between Juan Román Riquelme and the board of Villareal, Pirès' leadership qualities the following season helped Villareal to win six of their opening eight games. Against Barcelona at El Madrigal, Pirès technique earned the Yellow Submarine two penalties which were duly converted by captain Marcos Senna.

Pirès has mentioned that after his two year deal at Villareal ends he would love one final season with Arsenal,[1] although he has also has been extremely happy with life at Villarreal.

International career

Pirès was part of France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning squads (Pirès laid on the pass for David Trézéguet's winning goal in the final), but had to miss the 2002 World Cup due to the injury he sustained playing for Arsenal. He also played in 1996 Olympic Games and Euro 2004. However, a dispute in late 2004 with French national coach Raymond Domenech put a halt to Pirès' international career. He won 79 caps for his country and scored 14 goals.

Career statistics

Honours

Metz

Winner

• French League Cup: 1996/1997

Runner-up

• French League 1: 1997/1998

Olympique de Marseille

Runner-up

• French League 1: 1998/99
• UEFA Cup: 1999

Arsenal

Winner

• FA Premier League: 2001/02, 2003/04
• FA Cup: 2003, 2005
• FA Community Shield: 2002, 2004

Runner-up

• UEFA Champions League: 2005/06
• FA Premier League: 2000/01, 2002/03, 2004/05
• FA Cup: 2001
• FA Community Shield: 2003, 2005

Villarreal

Runner-up

• La Liga: 2007/08

International

Winner

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

Individual honours

• Légion d'Honneur, France's highest decoration 1998
• Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year: 2001/2002 (with Arsenal)
• PFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2003, 2004,
• FA Premier League Highest number of assist: 2001/2002 (with Arsenal)
• FIFA Confederation Cup Golden Ball award, best player of the tournament - 2001
• Named by Pelé at the FIFA 100
• FA Premier League Top goalscoring midfielder (14): 2004/2005 (with Arsenal)

Club career

(correct as of 21 October 2007)

International career

References

Accolades

External links

• Robert Pires FIFA competition record
• Profile & statistics at FootballDatabase.com
• Profile at arsenal.com
• Profile & News at footymania.com
• Statistics at soccerbase.com
• Autobiography Details of Pirès' biography
• Profile at 4thegame.com
• Profiles at sporting-heroes.net

France squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Lama • 2 Candela • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Blanc • 6 Djorkaeff • 7 Deschamps • 8 Desailly • 9 Guivarc'h • 10 Zidane • 11 Pirès • 12 Henry • 13 Diomède • 14 Boghossian • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Petit • 18 Leboeuf • 19 Karembeu • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Dugarry • 22 Charbonnier • Coach: Jacquet

France squad – UEFA Euro 2000 Winners (2nd title) 1 Lama • 2 Candela • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Blanc • 6 Djorkaeff • 7 Deschamps • 8 Desailly • 9 Anelka • 10 Zidane • 11 Pirès • 12 Henry • 13 Wiltord • 14 Micoud • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Petit • 18 Leboeuf • 19 Karembeu • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Dugarry • 22 Ramé • Coach: Lemerre

France squad – 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Ramé • 2 Sagnol • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Gillet • 6 Djorkaeff • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Anelka • 10 Carrière • 11 Wiltord • 12 Coupet • 13 Silvestre • 14 Née • 15 Bréchet • 16 Dacourt • 17 Marlet • 18 Leboeuf • 19 Karembeu • 20 Camara • 21 Dugarry • 22 Robert • 23 Landreau • Coach: Lemerre

France squad – 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (2nd Title) 1 Landreau • 2 Mexès • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Boumsong • 5 Gallas • 6 Dacourt • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Cissé • 10 Giuly • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Rothen • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Kapo • 18 Pedretti • 19 Sagnol • 20 Marlet • 21 Dabo • 22 Govou • 23 Coupet • Coach: Santini

France squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Saha • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Rothen • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Dacourt • 18 Pedretti • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Marlet • 22 Govou • 23 Coupet • Coach: Santini