According to L'Équipe, Robert Pires held a farewell match in Metz, with around 90 guests attending to pay tribute.

On Tuesday evening, approximately 90 renowned guests, including Lilian Thuram and Frank Leboeuf, gathered in Metz at the Stade Saint-Symphorien to honor Pires. Those present praised him as an extraordinary player and an exceptional person.

Olivier Dacourt joked, "If I held a farewell match, I don't think I'd get even 20% of this turnout." The Stade Saint-Symphorien was star-studded that night, with guests who had connections, both close and distant, to Pires. Pires chose Metz to host this farewell match, though he preferred to call it a "battle of friendship and brotherhood." It was also where his career began; on April 2, 1993, he made his professional debut for Metz against Lyon, a match Metz won 2–0.

Frédéric Meyrieu recalled, "I've known Robert for a long time, and it feels wonderful now. He has always been a humble, simple person, even though he quickly took an incredible step forward and went on to have a brilliant career." Meyrieu, who played for Marseille from 1985 to 1989, was one of those who advised Pires to join Marseille to "improve his physicality and toughen up his game." Pires later won the World Cup with France in 1998 and went on to have an even more illustrious career.

Pires made 79 appearances for France, scoring 14 goals. On Tuesday, former teammates such as Laurent Blanc, Franck Ribéry, and Patrick Vieira were also present. Marcel Desailly said, "He finally got his farewell match. He is the star today, and he fully deserves it." Thierry Henry commented, "He invited so many big names. That speaks to his talent, but even more to the kind of person he is."

Jens Lehmann, Lukas Podolski, Samuel Eto'o, and El Hadji Diouf also came to Metz to celebrate the "very elegant, technically gifted, and fluid" player. Bixente Lizarazu stated that Pires left a deep mark in the 1990s and 2000s.

Lilian Thuram said, "I think Robert was, at one point, perhaps the best player in the world. In the 2001–02 season at Arsenal, he was simply incredible. Unfortunately for us, that's when he got injured and, like Zidane, missed the 2002 World Cup." Frank Leboeuf then added, "It was like the current French team playing without Mbappé and Olise."

Pires began his football career at Reims and Metz, and later became a Canal+ commentator. He forged friendships everywhere he played or worked, and has maintained contact with his teammates from France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad. Thuram said, "Robert has a particularly kind heart and is very easy to get along with. We all want him to be happy."

Leboeuf concluded, "Those who couldn't come will regret it, because it was truly a grand celebration, a perfect evening. Even on the pitch, we were constantly laughing. Winning or losing didn't matter at all; we just wanted to share this moment with Robert and see old friends who have aged but still smile." This long-awaited farewell match was ultimately a success.

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