According to L'Équipe, former French international Robert Pires will become the Metz club ambassador.

According to L'Équipe, 52-year-old former French international Robert Pires, who played for Metz from 1992 to 1998, will be appointed as the club ambassador. Pires will return to the club where his professional career began. He made 198 appearances for Metz between 1992 and 1998, scoring 48 goals; the former French international, who played 79 times for the national team and scored 14 goals, will now become a "senior ambassador" for the Moselle team. Since retiring in 2015 after a brief stint in China, the former Arsenal winger will be responsible for helping Metz expand its international influence, much like he currently does for Arsenal.

Pires is also a commentator for Canal+ television. The 52-year-old Pires frequently returns to Metz. In mid-May, he expressed his desire to Bernard Serin, reiterating his "unwavering affection" for the club. In 1998, he won the Ligue 1 runner-up title with Metz, and then helped the French national team win the World Cup.

A month ago, in mid-April, he also announced with the Metz president and his predecessor Carlo Molinari that a testimonial match would be held for him at the Stade Saint-Symphorien on Tuesday, October 6. Pires said at the time, "I have to thank the club, because without Metz, I wouldn't be where I am today. Mr. Molinari trusted me." The former star, who is about to become a high-profile ambassador for Metz, also hopes to help the team return to Ligue 1 as soon as possible next season.

His son, Thie-Ao, also plays in the Metz youth academy, in the same attacking midfield position as his father. The Metz club stated that Robert Pires will interact with players from the youth team and the academy, sharing his experience and conveying the values that have guided his career: hard work, humility, rigor, and self-transcendence.