This interview was created as part of 'The Big Pete', a multimedia project by Flashscore and CANAL+ Sport set to launch in spring 2026.
Robert, how would you describe yourself as a footballer to younger fans who never saw you play?
"If I had to describe my qualities, I would say technique, first touch, passing, and vision. Maybe elegance, too. I was never an aggressive player - that wasn’t in my nature. I liked to play football in a simple, intelligent way."
You once quoted Dennis Bergkamp saying, 'The first touch is the key to everything, because football is very simple'. Is that the best advice you ever received?
"Yes, without any doubt. Coming from Dennis Bergkamp, one of the best players in the world, that advice meant a lot.
"When I joined Arsenal in 2000, he told me that football is simple if your first touch is good. And it’s true: with a good first touch, you’re comfortable, you can lift your head, see your teammates and make the right decision. For me, that advice was the best I ever received."
Did that advice change the way you trained and how you saw the game?
"Absolutely. I learned great football in France, but learning from Bergkamp was something special. I didn’t want to copy him, but I wanted to improve myself.
"Every training session, I tried to do things better: control, passing, movement. When you play football simply, like Dennis did, everything becomes easier."
Did Arsene Wenger’s approach make that transition easier for you?
"Yes. That advice from Bergkamp really changed my mindset, and Arsene Wenger was also extremely important for me.
"The first six months at Arsenal were very difficult. I changed everything: country, language, tactics, teammates. English football was tougher, not just in matches but even in training.
"I remember training with players like Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Lee Dixon, and Ray Parlour. Once Lee Dixon told me, 'I’m not your friend, we train hard here'. That mentality was very different from what I knew in France. Arsene helped me adapt to all of that."
Did the environment and the quality of teammates help you unlock abilities you didn’t even know you had?
"Of course. Arsene Wenger built an incredible team, capable of winning the Premier League.
"He kept the strong English core but surrounded them with foreign players - French, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, German. That mix was amazing. The history speaks for itself: the titles in 2003 and 2004, and of course the Invincibles season.
"Wenger didn’t just change Arsenal. He changed the Premier League by bringing something new, especially in the way football was played."
Looking back, what gave the Invincibles such incredible mental strength?
"It was Arsene Wenger and the spirit he created. Commitment was everything.
"Every match in the Premier League was tough. Not only against Manchester United, Chelsea, or Liverpool, but especially away games at places like Bolton, Blackburn, or Leeds. Those were the matches you had to win to become champions.
"Arsene chose players with the right mentality and built a dressing room that believed. That’s why we went unbeaten, and why the record still stands today."
Who was most responsible for creating that winning culture in the dressing room?
"Patrick Vieira, without question. He was the captain and the leader.
"You need different types of leaders: technical leaders like Bergkamp or Thierry Henry, but Patrick had everything - leadership, honesty, fighting spirit. He was French, but with an English mentality. That combination was crucial."
Do you see any similarities between the Invincibles and the current Arsenal team?
"The current team looks very good and plays very good football. I don’t like direct comparisons because the Invincibles were a special group, and this is a different team with a different manager.
"But I feel optimistic. I hope to see Mikel Arteta lift the trophy with this team. That is my dream, and the dream of all Arsenal fans."
What has changed under Arteta in your view?
"Arteta has changed something, especially in terms of squad depth. The quality on the bench is very important.
"Arsenal spent a lot of money on Viktor Gyokeres, and that was a key move. When you want to win the Premier League, you need a striker who can score goals consistently, but also help the team in difficult moments."
Is Gyokeres the missing piece for Arsenal in the title race?
"Yes, because goals are crucial, but it’s not only about scoring. He gives the team something different.
"For me, the big difference with this Arsenal squad is not only the starting 11, but the quality on the bench. When players come on, they can immediately help the team. That is very important over a long season."
How important is squad depth at the highest level?
"It’s essential. When you have options, you can compete in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
"If you have players like (Gabriel) Martinelli on the bench, or (Leandro) Trossard on the bench, these are very good options. They can change the game. For Mikel Arteta, this is very good news, because he has more possibilities and more solutions."
So, Arsenal fans are right to believe again?
"Yes, of course. Now the fans can dream.
"It’s still a very long season, and football is always difficult, but Arsenal are more focused, more consistent, and mentally stronger than before. That is the mentality of champions."
You scored consistently from midfield during the Invincibles era. Did you study goalkeepers, or was it instinctive?
"To be honest, it was instinctive. Football is natural, but training is essential.
"Every morning, especially for strikers and attacking players, you have to work in front of goal. My main job was to provide assists, but if I could score, of course, I was happy.
"I always say this, even to my son: if you want to be a professional footballer, training sessions are the most important thing. If you work well in training, you can do the same in matches."
Did you stay behind after training to work on finishing?
"Yes, many times. After team training, I would stay with the third goalkeeper and work on shooting.
"I did it with Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie, everyone. When you repeat these actions in training, they become instinctive in matches. For me, training was the key."
One of your most famous assists came in the Euro 2000 final for David Trezeguet’s golden goal. What do you remember about that moment?
"It was a very strange substitution, to be honest. I came on late and replaced Bixente Lizarazu, a left-back. But maybe the coach had a good feeling.
"I took the ball, went one-on-one with Cannavaro, dribbled past him, and crossed for David Trezeguet. He scored an amazing goal. For me, it was about taking responsibility and risk, and it worked."
What did you feel in the seconds after creating a golden goal in a European Championship final?
"It was an incredible feeling. When I saw David score, I knew it was finished. We were champions of Europe.
"The match against Italy was very difficult, so to win like that was special. I don’t really have the words to describe it."
And then, almost immediately, you joined Arsenal…
"Yes. The day after the final, I did my medical at Arsenal. I didn’t really celebrate much at first, only later in Paris.
"It was an unbelievable 24 hours: European champion with France, then signing a four-year contract with Arsenal the next day. An amazing moment in my life."
Was that the best summer of your life?
"Yes, after the 1998 World Cup. In 1998, we won the World Cup, and in 2000, the European Championship. I was very lucky.
"Good times, good summers."
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