Robert Pirès

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Robert Pirès
Personal information
Full name	Robert Emmanuel Pirès
Date of birth	October 29, 1973
Place of birth	Reims, France
Height	6 ft 1 in / 1.85 m
Nickname	Bobby, Le'Bob, Super Rob
Position	Attacking midfielder, Winger
Club information
Current club	Villarreal
Number	7
Youth clubs
1989-92 1992-93	Reims FC Metz
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1992-1998 1998-2000 2000-2006 2006 - present	FC Metz Marseille Arsenal Villarreal	162 (43) 66 (8) 189 (62) 0 (0)
National team**
1996-Present	France	79 (14)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2006-08-11. ** National team caps and goals correct as of 19 December 2005.

Robert Emmanuel Pirès (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 even as a support striker.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 French League career 1.2 English League Career 1.3 Spanish League Career 1.4 International career 2 Career statistics 2.1 Honours 2.2 Club career 2.3 International career 3 References 4 Accolades 5 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] 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. He married his first wife Nathelie in 2002 but soon got divorced from her in June 2004. He then married his longtime companion, Jessica who is a professional model from Australia, after the season's end. They welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Naya on October 8, 2005.

[edit] English League 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 2nd, 2006) still the highest amount paid for a Dutch footballer. Initially, Pirès 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, Pirès had fully got to grips with the English game and had one of his best seasons. Pirès scored some superb goals against Middlesbrough 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. 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 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, 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 EPL goals in 26 appearances that season. 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 where instrumental in that season, scoring a combined 57 goals in all competitions. Pirès made a sluggish start to the campaign, but after a wondergoal against Liverpool at Anfield, it triggered his amazing form that season. Pirès showed football fans his sublime technique, skills and finishing, most notibly 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 Pirès, they where elimated 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 Tottenam Hotspurs 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 2nd top scorer (behind Thierry Henry) and joint highest assister (along with Dennis Bergkamp) that season.

Critics have said that his form during the 2004-05 season had been indifferent however, Pirès could still point to the leading goalscorers table, where he finished the third in the Premiership with 14 goals, behind teammate Thierry Henry and Crystal Palace's Andy 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. 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 was often preferred on both wings (left and right) to Freddie Ljungberg, Jose Antonio Reyes and Alexander Hleb. However, as the season progressed on, Pirès's form improved (most notibly since January 2006). Despite Pirès being 33, he still mananged 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. Pirès ended the season as Arsenal's joint 2nd top scorer (along with Robin Van Persie). Two of the most memorable moments of Pirès's last season at Arsenal was the tackle on Patrick Vieira of Juventus(which lead to Arsenal's first goal), and Pirès's superb long ball to Henry, who subsequently scored.

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 Manuel Almunia) in the 20th minute of the first half after Jens Lehmann was sent off preventing a goalscoring opportunity by fouling Samuel Eto'o outside of the box.

One of the main reasons Pirès cited in response to his decision leaving Arsenal is because he felt he was no longer a first choice under Arsene Wenger. Pirès 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. Pirès said that he felt hurt on how 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 Fabregas told Sky - The Magazine: "It was sad to lose Robert Pires to Villarreal."

[edit] 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 he will now require corrective surgery to alleviate the problem. Pires is expected to be out injured for around six-months. Interestingly, Pires's former Arsenal teammate Edu suffered an identical injury the previous year, after leaving Arsenal for Valencia, another club in La Liga. Coincidentally, Edu returned to action against Cadiz.

[edit] 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. It is quite possible that his removal from the squad was due to Domenech's highly superstitious psyche, which includes leaving Scorpios off his teams if at all possible. Despite this, he has won 79 caps for his country and scored 14 goals.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Honours

Metz

• French League Cup winner - 1995/1996
• French League 1 runner up (1) - 1997/1998

Olympique de Marseille

• French League 1 runner up (1) - 1998/1999
• UEFA Cup runner up (1)

Arsenal

• FA Premier league winner (2) - 2001/2002, 2003/2004
• FA Cup winner (3) - 2002, 2003, 2005
• UEFA Champions League runner up (1)
• FA Premier league Highest assist - 2001/2002
• FA Premier league Top goalscoring midfielder (14) - 2004/2005

International

• World Cup winner - 1998
• European Championship winner - 2000
• FIFA Confederations Cup (2) - 2001, 2003

Other

• Football Writers' Association Player of the Year - 2001/2002
• Légion d'Honneur, France's highest decoration 1998
• FIFA Confederation Cup Golden Ball award, best player of the tournament - 2003
• FIFA World Player of the Year ranked 25th

[edit] Club career

(correct as of 18 May 2006)

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	?	-	-	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	?	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								283	84
All									541	140

[edit] 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

[edit] References

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

[edit] Accolades

Preceded by: Teddy Sheringham

Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 2002

Succeeded by: Thierry Henry

[edit] External links

• Profile & statistics at FootballDatabase.com
• Profile at arsenal.com
• http://pavelicious.boo.pl/fls/robert/ fansite
• Profile & News at footymania.com
• Statistics at soccerbase.com
• Autobiography Details of Pires' biography
• Profile at 4thegame.com
• Profiles at sporting-heroes.net

	France squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup Champions (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 Trézéguet | 21 Dugarry | 22 Charbonnier | Coach: Jacquet

Villarreal CF - Current Squad
1 Viera | 2 Gonzalo | 3 Arruabarrena | 4 José Enrique | 5 Forlán | 6 Josico | 7 Pirès | 8 Riquelme | 9 Franco | 10 Cani | 12 Cygan | 14 Tacchinardi | 15 Nihat | 16 Quique Álvarez | 17 Javi Venta | 18 Somoza | 19 Senna | 20 Fuentes | 22 Peña | 23 José Mari | 24 Josemi | 25 Barbosa | 29 Jonathan | 31 Juan Carlos | 32 José Rubio | 36 Oscar | 44 Marcos | 46 David Fuster | Manager: Pellegrini

Persondata
NAME	Pirès, Robert Emmanuel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Professional football player
DATE OF BIRTH	October 29, 1973
PLACE OF BIRTH	Reims, France
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH