Robert Pirès jubilee at Metz to feature Didier Drogba, Bixente Lizarazu and Arsenal greats | OneFootball

Robert Pirès will stage his jubilee at Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz on Tuesday, kick-off 20:45, reuniting figures from across his career.

According to L'Équipe, three sides will take the field, coached by Aimé Jacquet with Henry Emile for Pirès All-Stars, Arsène Wenger for Arsenal légendes, and Joël Muller with Philippe Hinschberger for FC Metz légendes.

The celebration reflects Pirès’s journey from Reims to Metz and Arsenal, his eight years with France crowned by the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, and later work as a Canal+ pundit. He won 79 caps for the national side, scoring 14 goals.

More than 90 players are due, including Éric Abidal, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Youri Djorkaeff, Bixente Lizarazu, Franck Ribéry and Lilian Thuram, plus Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Jens Lehmann and Lukas Podolski.

New Metz coach Grégory Proment, a former team-mate whose appointment Pirès backed on Monday, will take part alongside former Metz players Sylvain Kastendeuch, Emmanuel Adebayor and his old strike partner Cyrille Pouget.

Pirès plans to play a 30-minute stint in each third with the three teams and will be joined by his children, including 18-year-old Théo from Metz’s academy. A light show and fireworks are also planned.

Source: L'Équipe

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