Pires names Neville as his toughest opponent

Former Arsenal and France winger Robert Pires did not hesitate when asked to name the toughest opponent he faced during his illustrious career. The World Cup winner picked an iconic English defender, but it was not the name many would expect.

Pires overlooked Premier League greats such as Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Jaap Stam, Marcel Desailly and Ashley Cole, instead singling out former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville. He explained that Neville would usually get the better of their duels.

"He kicked me all game!" Pires said. "Old Trafford, Highbury, he was always shouting. It was normal because of the rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United."

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Neville made 602 appearances for Manchester United, winning two Champions League titles and 10 Premier League crowns under Sir Alex Ferguson. His era coincided with a time when traditional wingers like Pires thrived by running directly at defences, making it a challenging period to defend in English football.