It feels like I'm rediscovering a lost love, says the gold reserve back on red alert

Exclusive Interview - Robert Pires: Highbury hero has taken the first steps to an eagerly awaited comeback. Alex Hayes talks to a refreshed Player of the Year

There have been more high-profile occasions in Robert Pires's successful career – Sunday 12 July 1998 and Sunday 2 July 2000 are just two of the most obvious highlights that spring to mind. There have also been far more glamorous locations, such as the Stade de France, the Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam, or even dear old Wembley. And, yet, ask the Frenchman for his most memorable date in football and he chooses Tuesday 15 October 2002 at Loftus Road.

Arsenal Reserves versus Queen's Park Rangers Second XI would not normally compare with a World Cup or European Championship final, but these were exceptional circumstances. Pires had to wait a long time – 206 days to be precise – for those precious 90 minutes. That is a wait of 2.3 days per minute played on Tuesday. For a footballer in his prime, that is an eternity.

"I'm not one for being over the top," Pires says, "but that was a very special match for me. The best feeling of my career, to be honest. Mentally, that was a big boost, because I hadn't felt those sensations for so long. For me, the best thing about being a footballer is that indescribable feeling when you are on a pitch doing your job. I don't know what to say – it's what I love."

No one, least of all Pires, is suggesting that one friendly fixture will have erased the pain of Saturday 23 March 2002, but the bad memories of that FA Cup quarter-final are at least beginning to fade. Pires was at the very height of his powers when an innocuous-looking hop over Newcastle's central defender Nikos Dabizas brought a shuddering end to his season last spring. "My injury was caused by mental fatigue," he now says. "It was not a question of being hurt by a tough tackle. I jumped over a player and did not take proper care how I landed. That's what happens when you are not thinking clearly – when you are tired."

What turned out to be a cruciate knee ligaments injury robbed the midfielder of his place in Arsenal's triumphant march towards the championship and FA Cup Double, as well as France's less impressive World Cup experience. More pertinently still, it deprived Pires of what he calls "my daily drug". There have been a few distractions to keep him busy – a radio show for Europe 1, some TV work for TF1, and an intense recovery programme – but nothing, he says, compares to playing football.

"After completing the full 90 minutes of the match at Loftus Road, I feel like I've taken a giant leap towards the Arsenal first team. In the first half, I was really rusty. So much so, in fact, that I thought for a second that it was my kid brother playing out there. No seriously, I just realised that I had lost quite a lot over the last six months. Now it's up to me to work hard and make sure I rekindle that special affinity I had with the football. I'm not worried, because I'm sure it will come once I've played a few matches, but I'm more determined than ever. In a way, I feel like I'm rediscovering a lost love. It's quite exciting, really."

Pires is like a kid who has been given carte blanche in his favourite patisserie. On Tuesday, he was supposed to play 45 minutes. No chance. The Frenchman was enjoying himself so much that he asked to be kept on after the interval. His manager obliged and watched in delight as he set up one goal, scored another, and was the best player on the field by a considerable margin.

"All I know is that I enjoyed myself," Pires says modestly. "My goal was a bit of a fluke because it took a wicked deflection before going in, but, hey, I'll take that at this stage. The important thing is that the ball went into the back of the net; nothing else matters. When you haven't played for more than six months, scoring is the ultimate pleasure. It's ecstasy."

The Frenchman was left out of the Premiership trip to Everton yesterday so that he could rest up a little longer, but the feeling is that he will be part of the squad to face Auxerre at Highbury in the Champions' League on Tuesday. No wonder, then, there was a spring in the midfielder's step at Arsenal's Colney training centre on Friday. "Is Bobby back?" he jokes. "Almost. Almost. I certainly feel ready, both mentally and physically. Now we have to wait for the coach to give me the green light.

"I would guess I will play some part in the game against Auxerre, but if I have to wait for four more days and the trip to Blackburn, then so be it. Even if I'm not involved for 10 more days or so, I don't care. Let's face it, I've been out for 30-odd weeks, so one more or less isn't going to make much difference.

"I have shown the coach that I'm fit again and he knows I'm ready after watching me at Loftus Road. Nobody knows or understands me better than Arsène [Wenger]. He is like a guardian angel, watching over me all the time and monitoring my progress. He'll say when I should play again, and when he does I'll be ready. I may not yet be totally match-fit, but my recovery is complete."

Now comes the serious part. Not only does Pires have to reintegrate himself into the Premiership, and face those not always friendly tackles from Messrs Savage, Keane or Smith, he also has to try to break back into the Arsenal team, which might be easier after yesterday's defeat by Everton which ended their long unbeaten run. But Wenger declares that his player has his work cut out. "The team have done extremely well since Robert has been injured," the French manager says, "but we're obviously delighted to have him back.

"Robert still needs to play a few games. He's not far off and he doesn't lack any fitness, but he does still need to get some competitive games under his belt. But it's a vicious circle, because it's difficult for him to get those if he's not playing. He'll just have to wait his turn, but he knows he'll be back at some stage. What Robert does is give us that fluency and pace every time we win the ball in midfield. He was our creative force on the park last season, and when he was out we had to change our ways completely. It worked for us, and we were happy about that, but we lost a little bit of that creative side."

Pires says he is under no illusions about the task that awaits him. "As far as returning to the Premier League and European competitions is concerned," the 29-year-old says, "I am really excited. I'm not worried about the physical aspect, as I'm fit and well. Getting back into the Arsenal team will be harder. I know that, but I'm not unduly worried. I speak with the coach a lot and I know he still expects a lot from me. This was a very serious injury, at a very important time in my career, but if I didn't feel I could come back to my best, then I wouldn't be here talking to you. I'm not going to waltz back into the form I was in at the time, but I can still make a difference."

The whole of France agrees. Pires may not have been able to guarantee a further triumph in the Far East, but the feeling is that he would at least have guided Les Bleus to qualification for the knock-out stages had he been at the World Cup. With Zinedine Zidane injured for the first two group matches, the team were crying out for a creative force in midfield. "I never look at a match and think, 'God, he's rubbish, I could do better than him'," Pires says, "but, of course, I would have loved to have been there. It was a missed opportunity for all of us."

Under new management, in the shape of Jacques Santini, France have started their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign with three straight wins, albeit against weak opposition in one of the easiest groups. "Those who say that this new-look French team need to be tested against a top side before we can make any real assessment are right," the midfielder says, "and I hope to be part of the squad that will face Yugoslavia next month in a friendly. But I don't think we should dismiss the results so far just because they were against so-called weaker teams. England have found that winning isn't always straightforward."

It is easy to see why the mere mention of Pires's return is sending waves of excitement through the French and Arsenal camps. Last season belonged to the man they call D'Artagnan, a reference to the Fourth Musketeer. In the Premiership alone, he scored a creditable nine goals from midfield, created 15 with a Premiership record of assists, and was crowned Player of the Year by his peers at Arsenal and the football writers. Not bad for a player many felt was way out of his depth after his first season in English football.

"Those awards meant a lot to me," Pires explains, "because they were recognition from foreign people that I, as a Frenchman, was good enough to play in the toughest league in the world. That was special."

Special, but nothing quite like the gesture made by his Highbury team-mates when, as the squad celebrated winning the Double on the last day of the season, they all got down on their knees to worship their injured friend. Pires has won almost every trophy under the sun, but he says that the Wayne's World style homage is the greatest moment of his entire career. "When you are injured and something like that happens," he says, "it's as good as scoring a hat-trick. It's the strongest image that I've ever witnessed and it will never leave me. It is little things like that that facilitate the recovery and make the slow comeback worthwhile."

Following his operation at a clinic in Marseille in June, Pires moved down the coast to the town of St Raphael. There, he settled in to a hotel before being introduced to the man who would oversee his recovery programme. Tiburce Darou is one of Wenger's oldest friends, a maverick character who has worked with the likes of Yannick Noah, Emmanuel Petit and Freddie Ljungberg. He is also, says Pires, the "reason why I am playing again". "What can I say about Tiburce?" Pires muses. "He's become such a close pal. He took me under his wing and helped me back to form. For four months, we lived in each other's pockets: training, eating, walking, and talking together. He's a very special man."

Pires adds: "Most fitness coaches would work on the physical side first and then freshen up your technique. Tiburce was the other way around. It was like being taught football all over again. He believes that you should perfect your skills, and that the strength and power will come later. Every day, we would start by juggling balls, or doing skill-related exercises. We would even play basketball sometimes, just to get a feel for the ball. Then, in the afternoon, we would concentrate on the fitness side by going cycling, running, or both. It seemed strange at first, but I know he was right now, and I owe my recovery to him. He calls me every other day to check on my progress. It's amazing."

So far, Pires has only been able to inform Darou that he is getting closer to a return. Today, though, he will be breaking the good news. "I can't wait to speak to Tiburce," Pires says. "I'm finally ready to tell him that I'm back."

Robert Pires is one of many French players to have contributed to "The French Revolution; 10 Years Of English Football After Cantona". To be published on 24 October by Mainstream Publishing, £15.99. Alex Hayes and Daniel Ortelli co-wrote the book with Xavier Rivoire.

Biography: Robert Pires

Born: 29 October 1973 in Reims, France.

Height: 6ft 1in. Weight: 11st 9lb.

Position: Left midfield. Shirt Number: 7.

Joined Arsenal: 3 July 2000 (£6m).

Playing career: 1992-98 Metz (162 games, 43 goals); 1998-2000 Marseille (66 games, 8 goals); 2000-present Arsenal (61 games, 13 goals).

Club honours: 1996 French League Cup winner, Metz; 2001-02 Premiership championship, Arsenal; 2002 Football Writers Player of the Year.

International: France (54 games, 10 goals).

International honours: World Cup winner 1998; European Championship winner 2000; Confederations Cup winner 2001; "Golden Ball" winner at Confederations Cup.