Metz will turn back the clock on Tuesday night when Robert Pirès is honoured in the city where his senior career first caught fire. The former France international’s jubilee match, scheduled to kick off at 20:45, offers a return to the milestones that carried him from Lorraine to the summit of world football and Arsenal’s unforgettable unbeaten season.
His first major trophy arrived on 6 April 1996, while he was still building his reputation with FC Metz. Pirès had made his professional debut three years earlier, in April 1993, and became increasingly influential over the following campaigns. In 1995-96, he scored 11 Division 1 goals and formed a dangerous partnership with Cyrille Pouget as Metz surged forward.
That season ended with a Coupe de la Ligue triumph at the Parc des Princes. Metz drew 0-0 with Olympique Lyonnais after extra time before winning the penalty shoot-out 5-4. Pirès was 22 when he lifted the first significant trophy of his career, and was soon named Division 1’s best young player. The route towards the France squad was opening quickly.
On 12 July 1998, he reached an altogether different stage. Born in Reims, Pirès was part of Aimé Jacquet’s France group for the country’s home World Cup, shortly before he joined Marseille for the following season. He was not an automatic starter, but played a decisive part in the round-of-16 tie against Paraguay. Introduced from the bench, he supplied the cross from which Laurent Blanc scored the golden goal in extra time.
France then survived Italy on penalties after a goalless quarter-final, beat Croatia 2-1 in the semi-finals and overwhelmed Brazil 3-0 at the Stade de France. Pirès had become a world champion on home soil.
He would make another decisive contribution to France’s golden-goal era at Euro 2000. In the final against Italy on 2 July, Pirès came on and, with the match still unresolved, broke down the flank before cutting the ball back for David Trezeguet. The striker struck with his left foot in the 102nd minute, sealing a 2-1 victory and completing France’s World Cup and European Championship double.
That assist helped Pirès assume a more prominent role for the national side. He was named player of the tournament as France won the Confederations Cup in 2001, then helped the team retain the competition in 2003.
The Arsenal peak and a painful goodbye
Although Real Madrid and Juventus had shown interest, Pirès chose Arsenal in the summer of 2000, arriving to take over Marc Overmars’ role on the left. Under Arsène Wenger, he became a central figure in one of English football’s most celebrated teams, combining sharply with Thierry Henry in attack.
The defining campaign came in 2003-04. Arsenal completed the Premier League season without defeat, recording 26 wins and 12 draws. Pirès was a regular throughout, scoring 14 times in 36 league appearances as the Gunners secured the title and earned the lasting name of the Invincibles. The championship, confirmed on 15 May 2004, stands as a unique achievement in Premier League history.
His Arsenal exit, however, came in starkly different circumstances. On 17 May 2006, Pirès started the Champions League final against Barcelona at the Stade de France in what proved to be his final appearance for the London club. Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the 19th minute after bringing down Samuel Eto’o outside the penalty area.
Wenger needed to introduce substitute goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and chose Pirès as the outfield player to make way, ending his final Arsenal match after only a brief involvement. Barcelona recovered to win 2-1, leaving the Frenchman’s farewell with a bitter edge. Pirès departed for Villarreal that summer after six seasons and five trophies with Arsenal, but his journey had begun much earlier, under the lights in Metz.
