Present at Roland Garros This week, Robert Pirès (former French international footballer) told us about his new passion: padel.

Similarities between football and padel

Padel Magazine : It seems that we see you more and more on the padel courts, and that football is almost a thing of the past?

Robert Pires: Honestly no, football is not a thing of the past because I still love it and where I live, I have the opportunity to play a lot. It's true that I discovered padel like many people currently, and it's a sport that is fashionable. You know I live in Spain, so the Spanish talk about football and tennis, but be careful, padel is gaining momentum. It's a pretty fun sport and everyone can participate, I find it quite enjoyable.

Padel Magazine : We have seen in England, in Spain, almost everywhere... more and more footballers are playing padel and some even train football by playing padel. Do you find that normal?

Robert Pires : ”I think it’s good. Is it normal? Yes, I think so. But it’s true that there are a few similarities, that is to say that in football there is what we call the foot-ground relationship: the chassés, which are important. And in padel, that’s what we look for and what we find. There’s this finesse of positioning. In football you always have to look where your partner is, where the ball is… here it’s the same thing. You have to know if the ball is going to hit the two windows, where it’s going to go… you have to think pretty quickly and then you need the eye. Football and padel, they go together!”

“Padel is great for bringing people together and making friends.”

Padel Magazine : When he coached theOM, Rudi Garcia had organized a padel session with his players during a training camp in Portugal. Don't you think to yourself as a potential future coach that this is something you could do?

Robert Pires : "I think he was right and it's a good idea because it's a way to get out of the football context and when you're a footballer or you do another sport, when you practice something else it's always enjoyable.

I know that at the time, for example, with Arsenal, from time to time we played basketball with Arsène Wenger. So why not padel, it's quite funny, quite playful, quite fun. And the most important thing is to find yourself as a team, it's a two against two and whatever happens we remain competitive.

This allows for good relationships, more pleasant exchanges. And above all, it allows us to get to know each other a little better. I find that padel, in terms of rapprochements and friendships, is very nice.

Dacourt, Sinama-Pongolle and Wiltord in his top 3

Padel Magazine : Do you ever play with football players and if so, who are your top 3 best football players in padel?

Robert Pires : ”The problem is that there aren't a lot of former football players I play with. The only ones I play padel with are Olivier Dacourt, who is good, and Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who is also good. I know I received a challenge from my friend Sylvain Wiltord, so watch out Sylvain: I'm here, I'm ready! But in any case, former footballers are quite talented. !"

To watch the interview in its entirety, go here:

Nasser Hoverini

Passionate about football, I discovered padel in 2019. Since then, I have been crazy in love with this sport to the point of abandoning my favorite sport.

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