The former Arsenal star recalled the two players he had the biggest battles with during his playing days
Arsenal legend Robert Pires has anointed Rio Ferdinand and John Terry as the toughest players he has faced during his playing career.
The French winger won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups with the Gunners between 2000-06, while he returned to the league for a season with Aston Villa in 2010-11.
When asked to name the Premier League players it was most difficult to play against, Pires named England’s two center-backs as the opponents who gave him the most trouble.
“In the Premier League, there were John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. The games against Chelsea and Manchester United were always tough and Terry and Ferdinand were very tough, very physical,” Pires said on the MOTD Top 10 podcast.
“Coming from France to play in the Premier League, it was very difficult at the beginning.
“Arsene Wenger told me:” It’s not the same football. It’s physical, you have to learn “.
“My first game was at Sunderland. I was sitting on the bench and after about 20-25 minutes I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this football is not for me.’
Pires also received 79 appearances for France, winning the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship with his country.
He began his senior career with French side Metz in 1993, spending six seasons at the club before moving to Marseille in 1998, having scored 43 goals in 162 appearances.
Pires was with Marseille for only two campaigns before moving to Arsenal in 2000, with the London club battling the interests of Real Madrid and Juventus.
His six years at the Gunners culminated in four trophies, with Pires joining the famed Arsenal Invincibles team in 2003-04.
After leaving London in 2006, Pires played four years in La Liga with Villarreal before ending his career with a season at Aston Villa.
He came out of retirement in 2014-15 to play a season with Indian Super League team FC Goa.
Pires now wishes to become a manager and spent time tutoring Arsenal when Freddie Ljungberg was temporarily in charge last year.
In June he said: “I think coaching is a good job, even if it is difficult every day. I think in the years to come I will decide to take my coaching degrees. And I intend to do it in Spain.”
.
