The former Arsenal and France midfielder Robert Pires has retired from football at the age of 42.
Pires, who won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups with the Gunners between 2000 and 2006, becomes the final member of Les Bleus’ 1998 World Cup-winning squad to hang up his boots.“I’m 42 years old so some time must stop. We must say stop and above all must give way to young,” he said on beIN Sports. “My last experience was in India.”
Pires started his career in Metz before moving to Marseille and then Arsenal, with later spells at Villarreal, Aston Villa and, most recently, FC Goa until his release last March.
He was a member of France’s Euro 2000 winning squad, and also collected Confederations Cup winning medals in 2001 and 2003. His first senior silverware was the Coupe de la Ligue with Metz in 1996.
Former Arsenal and France star Robert Pires has announced his retirement from football at the age of 42, more than a year after his last game.
The Frenchman won the Premier League title twice with the Gunners, also contributing to three FA Cup triumphs and a run to the 2006 Champions League final during his time in North London.
Pires told beIN Sports: "I'm 42 so at a certain point you have to stop, you have to say stop and then above all leave your place to young players," adding "my last experience was in India."
Nearly 18 years after the 1998 World Cup final, Pires becomes the last member of the triumphant French squad to retire, after David Trezeguet hung up his boots around a year ago.
Both Trezeguet and Pires played in the Indian Super League in the latter stages of their respective careers, Pires leaving FC Goa when he was released after the end of the 2014 season.
The former star had discussed a continuation of his career, even training at Arsenal earlier this season in an attempt to keep his fitness levels high and encourage clubs to come after him, but no contract followed.
In the interview with beIN Sports where he announced his retirement, Pires also touched on the 2006 Champions League final - his last game for Arsenal, which saw him taken off after just 18 minutes for a replacement goalkeeper when Jens Lehmann was sent off.
He said: "The final of the Champions League in 2006 precipitated my departure from Arsenal. It was hard and I no longer had the confidence of Arsene Wenger."
