Patrick Vieira hangs up his boots

Posted on | Thursday, July 14, 2011 | No Comments

Former winner of the World Cup, Patrick Vieira, announced his retirement from professional football.

It will take a newly created position off the pitch with Manchester City.

35-year-old Frenchman, who published the town at the end of last season, has accepted the position of Director of Football Development to help develop young players, among other tasks.

Vieira said: "This role is a fantastic new challenge for me and I am grateful to Manchester City for giving me this opportunity.

"I have much to learn from large parts of the business, but there are many experienced people here to know about me, and I'm sure I can make a significant contribution to the continued success of the club."

Vieira was patron of the city of Roberto Mancini first signing when he left Inter Milan return to the Barclays Premiership in January 2010.

It was not a departure, but has a total of 47 games, scoring six goals in his last performance in a City shirt to come off the bench in the win FA Cup final in May Stoke

In addition to working at the plant of youth, Vieira, also helps to deliver social responsibility programs for the club and participate in the commercial side.

The French added: "I am particularly pleased to have the opportunity to work with Community rules of the club.

"Manchester City has a good reputation for its commitment to its community and charitable, and I think I can help take this message to an even wider audience.

"Everyone at Manchester City - fans, staff and players - have made me and my family feel welcome here in the last two years, and I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to stay and further develop my career field. "

Vieira came to prominence when he joined Arsenal from AC Milan in 1996 and continued to enjoy great success in nine seasons with the Gunners.

The combative midfielder has won three Premier League titles and was part of the 'Invincible' team has not lost a game of the 2003-04 season.

He became club captain after Tony Adams retired in 2002 and also won four FA Cups, including the penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester United in 2005, remains Arsenal Trophy final.

Vieira was a controversial figure who collected the cards to go with his medals, and he was deported 10 times in the colors of Arsenal.

He left Arsenal to join Juventus won Serie A in 2006, although the Turin club were stripped after the trophy in the center of the Serie A match fixing scandal and the French moved back for Inter Milan.

In a spell of great success, Inter won the championship for four consecutive years, but Vieira has found more and more concerned about injuries and went to Manchester before the victory of the Italians in the Champions League in 2010.

On the international stage, France was a key part of the team that won the European Championship in 2000, and also to change the look of the French Cup final victory in Brazil two years earlier.

Vieira, has given up football operations officer Brian Marwood, who described him as "the utmost professionalism."

Marwood said: "His experience in football is almost unprecedented, and it will be a great asset to our club as young and old, both benefiting from his knowledge.

"His contribution to football during his time as a player has been extraordinary and will remain one of the best players to grace the Premier League.

"While it is sad to see Patrick playing career ended, we are pleased he has chosen to extend his stay at Manchester City in this new capacity.

"Wherever he goes, he commands the respect of his audience, and believe that he is an invaluable contribution to our club, we are building our recent successes."

Patrick Vieira Factfile

1976: Born in Dakar, Senegal, June 23 Later, moving to France.

1995: November - joined Italian giants AC Milan in Cannes.

1996: August - After only two appearances for AC Milan Serie Arsene Wenger will be, first purchase a £ 4 million.

1997: February - has won his first call up to the first team in France and will make his debut in a friendly against Holland.

1998: May - wins the Cup and two FA Premier League with Arsenal. Select the unit of the World Cup in France.

July - world championship medal won with France.

December 14 - fined £ 20,000 for the misconduct of the Football Association to do something for fans of Sheffield Wednesday, but allowed the police officer assaulted in the tunnel after the game at Hillsborough in September.

1999: 3rd September - sent against West Ham and catch it on TV spitting at Neil Ruddock, is then reported to FA by police after a collision with an officer in the tunnel.

Oct. 28 - With the six match ban. The punishment was a four-game, plus a ban on £ 30,000 fine for spitting, and a two-match ban, plus £ 15 000 for a confrontation with police.

2000: July - has won the European Championship with France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

December 4 - Vieira, is accused of misconduct by the FA after allegedly headbutting Eirik Bakke and Olivier Dacourt kick in the neck in a match against Leeds.

2001: February 8 - As the one-match ban and 10,000 € fine after guilty of kicking Dacourt, but removed Bakke headbutting.

2002: June - to travel to the World Cup with France, but the owners are eliminated after failing to win the game.

2004: June - Reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2004, France suffered a surprise defeat to Greece.

24. November - Get the tenth red card Arsenal Champions League career in conflict with PSV Eindhoven.

2005: February - The referee Graham Poll had to separate Vieira and Roy Keane Manchester United captain after his confrontation in the tunnel before the Gunners 4-2 defeat at Highbury.

May 21 - Arsenal beat United on penalties in the final of the FA Cup.

July 14 - Juventus sign Vieira from Arsenal for £ 13.7million.

2006: May - Juventus won the title in the series.

July 9 - Vieira on the losing side as France were beaten on penalties by Italy in the World Cup.

August 2 - With Juventus stripped of their Serie A title and relegated to Serie B for their role in a match-fixing scandal, Vieira moves to Inter Milan for £ 6.5 million.

August 6 - is back to the master of the French national after he retired Zinedine Zidane.

November 15 - Wins 100th cap for France against Greece in Paris.

2007: May - Ends first season at Inter in the Champions Series.

2008: May - Helps retain Scudetto Inter.

June - Included in France's Euro 2008 squad but did not act in any of their three group matches due to a knee injury.

2009: May - wins third place in Serie A title with Inter, although the features in less than half of their league games under Jose Mourinho.

2010: January 8 - Signed an agreement for six months at Manchester City.

May - Misses on the team of France Raymond Domenech for the World Cup.

9. June - Take the opportunity to extend for one year contract at Manchester City.

2011: May 14 - Makes last-minute substitute appearance in the city of Stoke 1-0 in the final of the FA Cup, their first major trophy for 35 years. The city also reached the Champions League by finishing third in the Premier League.

July 14: Announced retirement to play for the development of the city.