Robert Pirès was a stylish, intelligent winger whose creativity and finishing were central to one of English football’s greatest teams. A World Cup and European Championship winner with France, he joined Arsenal and flourished under Arsène Wenger, providing goals and assists in abundance.
He was a key figure in the ‘Invincibles’ side that went an entire Premier League season unbeaten, gliding past defenders and drifting into scoring positions with deceptive ease. He later played for Villarreal in Spain, remembered for a left foot capable of both delicate finishes and clever, incisive passes.