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Robert Pires

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Robert Pires
Personal information
Full name Robert Emmanuel Pires
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, Winger
Team information
Current team
 Villarreal
Number 7
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 December 2005

Robert Emmanuel Pires (born October 29 1973 in Reims, France) is a French international football player, of Portuguese and Spanish descent. He plays for Villarreal CF as a winger. He normally plays on the left wing but can play all across midfield or as a support striker.

Biography

French League career

Pires 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, Pires 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.

English football career

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 pounds which is currently (August 2, 2006) still the highest amount paid for a Dutch footballer. Initially, Pires' form was indifferent, and some people criticized 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, Pires had fully got to grips with the English game and had one of his best seasons. Pires scored some superb goals against Middlesbrough F.C. and Aston Villa. Against Aston Villa, Pires 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. That goal against Aston Villa left Andy Gray (the commentator for that match) in awe. 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 match against Newcastle United.

After a lengthy layoff, Pires made his comeback in November 2002 as a substitute against Auxerre in the UEFA Champions League. Initially Pires found it tough, but he finally found his form, scoring 14 EPL goals in 26 appearances that season. Pires 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. Pires and his Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry were instrumental in that season, scoring a combined 57 goals in all competitions. Pires made a sluggish start to the campaign, but a wondergoal against Liverpool F.C. at Anfield launched him into amazing form that season. Pires showed football fans his sublime technique, skills and finishing, most notably with his goals against Liverpool, Bolton, Leeds. He surprised a lot of people in the UEFA Champions League 1st leg match against Chelsea, 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 Pires, they where eliminated after they lost 1-2 in the return leg, courtesy of a 87th minute Wayne Bridge goal. Pires 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. Pires 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.

Some critics felt that his form during the 2004-05 season had been indifferent; however Pires could still point to the leading goalscorers table where he finished third in the Premiership with 14 goals, behind teammate Thierry Henry and Crystal Palace's Andrew Johnson (who got 11 out of his 21 EPL goals that season from the penalty spot). He also picked up a second FA Cup winners' medal after Arsenal beat Manchester United on penalties. Pires was replaced by Edu in the 2nd half of extra time in that match.

During the 2005-06 season, Pires 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. Pires started the season poorly, and was often preferred on both wings (left and right) to Freddie Ljungberg, Jose Antonio Reyes and Alexander Hleb. However, as the season progressed on, Pires' form improved (most notably since January 2006). Despite Pires being 33, he still managed to get more goals in all competitions than his younger colleagues, Freddie Ljungberg, Jose Antonio Reyes and Alexander Hleb. Pires played his last game for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions league final against Barcelona, where he was the player sacrificed after goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's sending off during the match. He seemed to be unconsolable when leaving the pitch in that last game for him at Arsenal. Pires ended the season as Arsenal's joint 2nd top scorer (along with Robin Van Persie). Two of the most memorable moments of Pires's last season at Arsenal was the tackle on Patrick Vieira of Juventus (which lead to Arsenal's first goal), and Pires's superb long ball to Henry, who subsequently set up Cesc Fàbregas to score.

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. He played his last game for Arsenal in the 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League Final in Paris. Pires was substituted (replaced by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia) in the 20th minute of the first half after Jens Lehmann was sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity by means of fouling Samuel Eto'o outside of the box, an offence punishable by a free-kick.

One of the main reasons Pires cited in response to his decision leaving Arsenal is because he felt he was no longer a first choice under Arsene Wenger. Pires was quoted saying "But I have to say I have had some disappointments this season. For instance I was on the bench very often." Furthermore Pires says that Wenger's decision to withdraw him in the UEFA Champions League Final was an indication of how much he has slipped in the eyes of his French boss. Pires said that he felt hurt on 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 Pires's departure. His ex-Arsenal teammate Cesc Fàbregas told the August 2006 edition of Sky - The Magazine: "It was sad to lose Robert Pires to Villarreal."

On the official Arsenal matchday program for the game against Wigan Athletic on February 11, 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."

Spanish League Career

Pires joined Villareal on a free transfer in the Summer of 2006. He agreed to a two year contract. He scored his first goal for the club in 3-3 pre-season draw with Newcastle United. However, on August 18, 2006, Robert damaged the cruciate ligament in his left knee in a friendly match against Cadiz and required corrective surgery to alleviate the problem. Pires has recently said that once his two year deal at Villareal ends he would love one final spur with Arsenal. Pires scored on his return from injury in a 3-3 draw away to Real Betis on March 31st.[1].

After three appearances as a substitute upon return from injury, Pires made his first start for Villareal on 22 April 2007. Pires 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.

International career

Pires was part of France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning squads (Pires 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 Pires' international career. He has won 79 caps for his country and scored 14 goals.

Career statistics

Honours

Metz

Olympique de Marseille

Arsenal

International

Other

Club career

(correct as of 23 April 2007)

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Metz 1992-93 2 - - - - - - 2 -
1993-94 24 1 - - - - - 24 1
1994-95 35 9 ? - - - - 35 9
1995-96 38 11 ? - - - - 38 11
1996-97 32 11 ? - - 6 - 38 11
1997-98 31 11 ? - 0 3 - 34 11
All 162 43 ? - - 9 - 171 43
Marseille 1998-99 34 6 ? - - 11 3 45 9
1999-00 32 2 ? - - 11 2 43 4
All 66 8 ? - - 22 5 88 13
Arsenal 2000-01 33 4 7 6 3 12 1 51 8
2001-02 28 9 15 5 1 12 3 45 13
2002-03 26 14 3 7 2 9 - 42 16
2003-04 36 14 10 4 1 10 4 50 19
2004-05 33 14 4 6 2 8 1 47 17
2005-06 33 7 4 3 2 12 2 48 11
All 189 62 43 31 11 63 11 283 84
Villarreal 2006-07 4 2 - - - - - 4 2
All 4 2 - - - - - 4 2
All 421 115 43 31 11 94 16 545 142

International career

National team Season Apps Goals
France 1994-95 12 5
1995-96 3 -
1996-97 1 1
1997-98 12 5
1998-99 12 5
1999-00 12 5
2000-01 12 5
2001-02 12 5
2002-03 12 5
2003-04 12 5
2004-05 9 -
2005-06 0 0
All 79 14

References

  1. ^ Pires agrees deal with Villarreal, BBC Sport, 2006-05-25

Accolades

Preceded by Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year
2002 		Succeeded by
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Pirès.

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