As the 10-year anniversary of the day Patrick Vieira closed the curtain on an illustrious journey at Arsenal is upon us, it’s important to look at exactly how respected the Frenchman was during and after his career – not just by the fans who were able to experience such a player, but also by the people who Vieira worked and played with.
As we look back on an acclaimed career of the man who captained the North London side to the unprecedented Invincibles feat, here are a selection of quotes from notable figures of the game, on the one and only Patrick Vieira.
Arsène Wenger:
“If we were offered £50m for Patrick we would not take the money.”
“He [Vieira] is the umbilical cord between the team and the fans and that is why the fans are suffering today. Letting him go would be a sign of lack of ambition.”
Vieira departs for Juventus – “Patrick was a great player for us, one of the greatest in the club’s history and I feel I had a special relationship with him because I made him come here.
“I think his impact, not only at Arsenal but in English football overall, was just tremendous.”
Vieira retires – “You can only have a lot of respect for what Patrick has achieved. His career is sensational. He was an exceptional player for us.
”We have classy players in midfield now but Patrick was special. He was a tall player with good technique. We have exceptional players in midfield with their own character. But at Arsenal we will be forever grateful for Patrick’s contribution.”
David Dein:
“When [Vieira] first came from AC Milan, he didn’t know a word of English. We gave him accommodation, phone, car and an English teacher. I talked to Patrick in fluent French and before a game I asked in French, ‘could you speak a little bit of English to me?’. He nodded and said ‘Tottenham are s**t”.
Roy Keane:
The infamous tunnel clash between United and Arsenal players, February 2005 – “If it had come to a fight, Patrick could probably have killed me”.
Roberto Mancini:
“He is an important player, he is a fantastic player.
“If we find, for the future, one player like Patrick it will be incredible. But it’s difficult because a player like Patrick isn’t born every year.”
Zlatan Ibrahimović:
“We both had that winners’ mindset… If anyone knew that, it was Patrick Vieira. He’s the type who gives one hundred percent in every situation, and I saw how he boosted the entire team. There aren’t many football players I have that kind of respect for.”
Whilst those are only a smaller selection of quotes, they really help to demonstrate the respect Vieira held throughout the game – not just for his fantastic ability, but for his personality, and attitude on the pitch. He commanded respect, and could back it up on the pitch. One of the most influential sportsmen in the history of Arsenal Football Club, and in English football – Patrick Vieira.
