Robert Pires Announces Retirement from Football: Latest Details, Reaction

Arsenal legend Robert Pires announced his retirement from football on Thursday at the age of 42.

The Frenchman has not played professionally since appearing for FC Goa in November 2014, and he was released by the team in March 2015. He told beIN Sports (h/t L'Equipe, via talkSPORT) he has decided to hang up his boots for good: "I'm 42 years old so some time must stop. We must say stop and above all must give way to young."  

Pires enjoyed the majority of his club success with the Gunners between 2000 and 2006, winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. He was a FIFA World Cup winner with France in 1998, and he also triumphed with his country at UEFA Euro 2000.

Per talkSPORT, he is the final member of the famed '98 Bleus squad to officially retire from the game.

OptaJean relayed a niche statistic about his contributions in major finals:

Pires started his senior career at French club Metz in the early 1990s before sealing a £5 million move to Marseille in 1998.

Arsenal bought the attacking midfielder for £6 million two years later, and despite an indifferent start to his Gunners career, he eventually achieved legendary status in north London.

He won the Premier League under manager Arsene Wenger in 2001-02 before triumphing as part of the Invincibles side that went unbeaten in the league in 2003-04.

All of his goals in an Arsenal shirt can be seen in the below video:

He left the Gunners for Villarreal in 2006 and returned to the Premier League with Aston Villa in 2010, but it is as an Arsenal and France star that he will always be remembered.