Robert Pires celebrates football jubilee in Metz with international legends

Football legend Robert Pires celebrated his jubilee at the Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz, marking a significant event in his professional career. The celebration featured three distinct teams: FC Metz Legends, Arsenal Legends, and a Pires All-Stars squad, with Pires playing for each during 30-minute segments.

The event drew a massive roster of international football stars, including Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram, and Bixente Lizarazu. Other notable participants included Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, and Franck Ribéry.

Despite the high-profile gathering of 1998 World Cup teammates, two major figures were notably absent: Didier Deschamps and Zinédine Zidane. During the event, Pires also reflected on his career milestones, citing his World Cup and European Championship titles as his greatest achievements, while noting the difficulty of his 2006 Champions League final loss with Arsenal.

In addition to the match, Pires shared insights on current football talent, expressing admiration for Michael Olise’s recent performances with the French national team.