Henry made his professional debut withMonaco in 1994 before signing for defendingSerie A championsJuventus. However, limited playing time, coupled with disagreements with the club's hierarchy, led to him signing for Premier League clubArsenal for £11 million in 1999. Under long-time mentor and coachArsène Wenger, Henry became a prolific striker and Arsenal'sall-time leading scorer with 228 goals in all competitions. Generally viewed as Arsenal's best ever player,[9] he won thePremier League Golden Boot a record four times, won threeFA Cups[10] and two Premier League titles with the club, including one during anunbeatenInvincible season. Henry spent his final two seasons with Arsenal as clubcaptain, leading them to the2006 UEFA Champions League Final. Henry transferred toBarcelona in 2007 and in the2008–09 season, he was a key part of the club's historictreble when they wonLa Liga, theCopa del Rey, and theUEFA Champions League. In 2010, he joinedMajor League Soccer (MLS) clubNew York Red Bulls and returned to Arsenal on loan from January to February 2012, before retiring in 2014.
After retiring, Henry transitioned into coaching. He began coaching Arsenal's youth teams in February 2015, in tandem with his work as a pundit forSky Sports. In 2016, he was appointed as an assistant coach atBelgium, before assuming the role as the head coach at Monaco in 2018. He was relieved of his duties at Monaco in January 2019 and returned to MLS less than a year later to manageMontréal Impact. He led Montréal to the playoffs in the 2020 season before departing in 2021, returning to his role as an assistant coach for Belgium for a year and a half. From August 2023 to August 2024, Henry would serve as manager of theFrance national under-21 team and theFrance Olympic team at the2024 Summer Games, leading the team to a silver medal, losing toSpain in the final.
Early life
Henry is ofAntillean heritage:[12] his father, Antoine, is fromGuadeloupe (La Désirade island), and his mother, Maryse, is fromMartinique. He was born and raised inLes Ulis, a suburb of Paris that is sometimes seen as a tough neighbourhood despite its good footballing facilities.[13][14] As a seven-year-old, Henry showed great potential, prompting Claude Chezelle to recruit him to the local clubCO Les Ulis. His father pressured him to attend training although the youngster was not particularly drawn to football.[2] He joined US Palaiseau in 1989, but his father fell out with the club after a year, so Henry moved toES Viry-Châtillon and played there for two years.[12] US Palaiseau coach Jean-Marie Panza, Henry's future mentor, followed him there.[13]
Club career
1992–1999: Beginnings at Monaco and transfer to Juventus
In 1990,Monaco sent scout Arnold Catalano to watch Henry, then at the age of 13, in a match.[15] Henry scored all six goals as his side won 6–0. Catalano asked him to join Monaco without even attending a trial first. Catalano requested that Henry complete a course at the eliteINF Clairefontaine academy, and despite the director's reluctance to admit Henry due to his poor school results, he was allowed to complete the course and joinedArsène Wenger's Monaco as a youth player.[2] Subsequently, Henry signed professional forms with Monaco, and made his professional debut on 31 August 1994, in a 2–0 loss againstNice.[15] Although Wenger suspected that Henry should be deployed as a striker, he put Henry on the leftwing because he believed that his pace, natural ball control and skill would be more effective againstfull backs thancentre-backs.[12]
After a tentative start to his Monaco career, Henry was named the French Young Footballer of the Year in 1996, and in the1996–97 season, his solid performances helped the club win theLigue 1 title.[2][16] During the1997–98 season, he was instrumental in leading his club to theUEFA Champions League semi-final, setting a French record, that was broken since, by scoring seven goals in the competition.[12][17] By his third season, he had received his firstcap forthe national team, and was part of the winning team in the1998 FIFA World Cup.[12] He continued to impress at his tenure with Monaco, and in his five seasons with the club, the young winger scored 20 league goals in 105 appearances.[16]
Henry left Monaco in January 1999, one year before his intimate and closest teammateDavid Trezeguet, and moved to Italian clubJuventus for £10.5 million.[2] He played on the wing,[18] as well as at wing back and wide midfield, but he was ineffective as a goal scorer, struggling against the defensive discipline exhibited by teams inSerie A, registering just three goals in 16 appearances.[19] In 2019, onJamie Carragher's podcastThe Greatest Game, Henry attributed disagreements with Juve directorLuciano Moggi as his rationale behind departing the club.[20]
1999–2007: Move to Arsenal, breakthrough, and success
Henry was made captain following the departure of fellow FrenchmanPatrick Vieira toJuventus in 2005.
Unsettled in Italy, Henry transferred from Juventus on 3 August 1999 toArsenal for an estimated fee of £11 million, reuniting with his former manager Arsène Wenger.[21][22] It was at Arsenal that Henry made his name as a world-class footballer,[23] and although his transfer was not without controversy, Wenger was convinced he was worth the transfer fee.[12] Brought in as a replacement for fellow French forwardNicolas Anelka, Henry was immediately moulded into a striker by Wenger, a move that would pay rich dividends in years to come. However, doubts were raised about his ability to adapt to the quick and physical English game when he failed to score in his first eight games.[13] After several difficult months in England, Henry even conceded that he had to "be re-taught everything about the art of striking."[13] These doubts were dispelled when he endedhis first season at Arsenal with an impressive goal tally of 26.[24] Arsenal finished second in thePremier League behind Manchester United, and lost in theUEFA CupFinal againstGalatasaray.[12]
Coming off the back of a victoriousUEFA Euro 2000 campaign with the national team, Henry was ready to make an impact in the2000–01 season. Despite recording fewer goals andassists than his first season, Henry's second season with Arsenal proved to be a breakthrough, as he became the club's top goalscorer. His goal tally included a spectacular strike againstManchester United where he flicked the ball up (with his back turned to goal), before he swivelled and volleyed in from 20 yards out.[25] The strike also featured a memorablegoal celebration where he recreated the Budweiser "Whassup?" advertisement.[26] Armed with one of the league's best attacks, Arsenal finished runner-up toperennial rivals Manchester United in thePremier League. The team also reached thefinal of theFA Cup, losing 2–1 toLiverpool. Henry remained frustrated, however, by the fact that he had yet to help the club win honours, and frequently expressed his desire to establish Arsenal as a powerhouse.[12]
Success finally arrived during the2001–02 season. Arsenal finished seven points above Liverpool to win thePremier League title, and defeatedChelsea 2–0 in theFA CupFinal.[12] Henry became the league's top goalscorer and netted 32 goals in all competitions as he led Arsenal to adouble and his first silverware with the club.[2][27] There was much expectation that Henry would replicate his club form for France during the2002 FIFA World Cup, but the defending champions suffered a shock exit at the group stage.[12]
2002–03 proved to be another productive season for Henry, as he scored 32 goals in all competitions while contributing 23 assists—remarkable returns for a striker.[27] In doing so, he led Arsenal to anotherFA Cup triumph (where he was man-of-the-match in theFinal),[28] although Arsenal failed to retain theirPremier League title.[29] Throughout the season, he competed with Manchester United'sRuud van Nistelrooy for the league scoring title, but the Dutchman edged Henry to theGolden Boot by a single goal.[12] Nonetheless, Henry was named both thePFA Players' Player of the Year andFWA Footballer of the Year.[30][31] His rising status as one of the world's best footballers was affirmed when he emerged runner-up for the2003 FIFA World Player of the Year award.[23] With 24 goals and 20 assists in the league, Henry set a new record for most assists in a single Premier League season,[32] and also became the first player in history to record at least 20 goals and 20 assists in a single season in one ofEurope's top–five leagues—this feat has since been matched byLionel Messi in 2020.[33][34]
This dip in success was compounded when Arsenal failed again to secure back-to-back league titles when they lost out to Chelsea in the2004–05 season, although Arsenal did win theFA Cup (theFinal of which Henry missed through injury).[16] Henry maintained his reputation as one of Europe's most feared strikers as he led the league in scoring,[2] and with 31 goals in all competitions,[37] he was the co-recipient (withDiego Forlán) of the European Golden Boot, becoming the first player to officially win the award twice in a row (Ally McCoist had won two Golden Boots in a row, but both were deemedunofficial).[36] The unexpected departure of Arsenal'scaptain Patrick Vieira in the 2005 close season led to Henry being awarded club captaincy, a role which many felt was not naturally suited for him; the captaincy is more commonly given to defenders or midfielders, who are better-placed on the pitch to read the game.[2] Along with being chief goalscorer, he was responsible for leading a very young team which had yet to gel fully.[38]
The2005–06 season proved to be one of remarkable personal achievements for Henry. On 17 October 2005, Henry became the club'stop goalscorer of all time;[39] two goals againstSparta Prague in theChampions League meant he brokeIan Wright's record of 185 goals.[40] On 1 February 2006, he scored a goal againstWest Ham United, bringing his league goal tally up to 151, breaking Arsenal legendCliff Bastin's league goals record.[41] Henry scored his 100th league goal atHighbury, a feat unparalleled in the history of the club, and a unique achievement in the Premier League.[42] On the final day of thePremier League season, Henry scored a hat-trick againstWigan Athletic in the last match played at Highbury. He completed the season as the league's top goalscorer,[2] was voted the FWA Footballer of the Year for the third time in his career, and was selected in theFIFA World XI.[16][43]
Nevertheless, Arsenal failed to win the Premier League title again, but hopes of a trophy were revived when Arsenal reached the2006 UEFA Champions League Final. The Gunners eventually lost 2–1 toBarcelona, with Henry assisting the team's only goal from a free kick, and Arsenal's inability to win the league title for two consecutive seasons combined with the relative inexperience of the Arsenal squad caused much speculation that Henry would leave for another club. However, he declared his love for the club and accepted a four-year contract, and said he would stay at Arsenal for life.[31][44] Arsenal vice-chairmanDavid Dein later claimed the club had turned down two bids of £50 million from Spanish clubs for Henry before the signing of the new contract.[45] Had the transfer materialised, it would have surpassed the then-world record £47 million paid forZinedine Zidane.[45]
Henry's2006–07 season was marred by injuries.[46] Although he scored 10 goals in 17 domestic appearances for Arsenal, Henry's season was cut short in February. Having missed games due to hamstring, foot, and back problems, he was deemed fit enough to come on as a late substitute againstPSV in aChampions League match,[47] but began limping shortly after coming on. Scans the next day revealed that he would need at least three months to heal from new groin and stomach injuries, missing the rest of the 2006–07 season.[48] Wenger attributed Henry's injuries to a protracted 2005–06 campaign, and reiterated that Henry was keen on staying with the Gunners to rebuild for the2007–08 season.[46]
2007–2010: Barcelona and a historic treble
Henry playing for Barcelona in 2008
On 25 June 2007, in an unexpected turn of events, Henry was transferred to Barcelona for €24 million. He signed a four-year deal for a reported €6.8 (£4.6) million per season.[49] It was revealed that the contract included a release clause of €125 (£84.9) million.[50] Henry cited the departure of Dein and continued uncertainty over Wenger's future as reasons for leaving,[51] and maintained that "I always said that if I ever left Arsenal it would be to play for Barcelona."[52] Despite their captain's departure, Arsenal got off to an impressive start for the 2007–08 campaign, and Henry said that his presence in the team might have been more of a hindrance than a help. He stated, "Because of my seniority, the fact that I was captain and my habit of screaming for the ball, they would sometimes give it to me even when I was not in the best position. So in that sense it was good for the team that I moved on."[53] Henry left Arsenal as the club's leading all-time league goalscorer with 174 goals and leading all-time goalscorer inEuropean competitions with 42 goals;[2] in July 2008, Arsenal fans voted him as Arsenal's greatest player ever in Arsenal.com's Gunners' Greatest 50 Players poll.[54]
At Barcelona, Henry was given the number 14 jersey, the same as he had worn at Arsenal. He scored his first goal for his new club on 19 September 2007 in a 3–0 Champions League group stage win overLyon,[55] and he recorded his firsthat-trick for Barça in aPrimera División match againstLevante ten days later.[56] But with Henry mostly deployed on the wing throughout the season, he was unable to reproduce the goal-scoring form he achieved with Arsenal. He expressed dissatisfaction with the move to Barcelona in the initial year, amidst widespread speculation of a return to the Premier League. In an interview withGarth Crooks onBBC'sFootball Focus, Henry described missing life "back home" and even "the English press."[57] However, Henry concluded hisdebut season as the club's top scorer with 19 goals in addition to nine league assists, second behindLionel Messi's ten.[58]
The following season, the emergence ofPedro meant that Henry only started 15 league games.[27] Before theLa Liga season ended, and with a year still left on his contract, club presidentJoan Laporta stated on 5 May 2010 that Henry "may go away in the summer transfer window if that's what he wants."[63] After Henry returned from the2010 World Cup, Barcelona confirmed that they had agreed to the sale of Henry to an unnamed club, with the player still to agree terms with the new club.[64]
After training with Arsenal during the MLS off-season, Henry re-signed for the club on a two-month loan deal on 6 January 2012. This was to provide cover forGervinho andMarouane Chamakh, who were unavailable due to their participation in the2012 Africa Cup of Nations.[71] Henry was given the number 12 jersey – his old Arsenal number 14 jersey, the same number he wore at Barcelona and New York, was unavailable, withTheo Walcott inheriting it following Henry's departure from the club in 2007.[72] Henry made his second Arsenal debut as a substitute againstLeeds United in theFA Cup third round and scored the only goal.[73] In his last league game on loan, he scored the winning goal in stoppage time in a 2–1 win againstSunderland.[74] His final goals for the club meant he finished his Arsenal career with a record 228 goals; 175 of them came in thePremier League.
Return to New York Red Bulls
Henry signing autographs in February 2014
On 17 February 2012, Henry returned to Red Bulls to prepare for the2012 season. His base salary of $5 million ($5.6 million guaranteed) made him the highest-paid player in MLS—surpassingDavid Beckham, who had taken a salary cut for his last year with theLos Angeles Galaxy.[75] In 2013, Henry's base salary dropped to $3.75 million setting him behindRobbie Keane's $4 million base salary. With bonuses, however, Henry remained the highest-paid player with $4.35 million compared to Keane's $4.33 million.[76]
On 31 March 2012, Henry scored his first MLShat-trick in a 5–2 Red Bulls win over theMontreal Impact.[77] He was namedMLS Player of the Month that same month. On 27 October 2013, Henry scored once and provided two assists in the last game of the season against theChicago Fire atRed Bull Arena to help his team win 5–2 and becomechampions of the regular season. It was the club's first major trophy in their 17-year history.[78][79]
On 12 July 2014, Henry provided a goal and three assists in a 4–1 Red Bulls win over theColumbus Crew. With that effort he became the all-time assist leader for the New York Red Bulls with 37, surpassingAmado Guevara andTab Ramos.[80]
On 1 December 2014, it was announced that Henry had left the Red Bulls after four and a half years at the club.[81] On 16 December, he announced his retirement as a player and stated that he would begin working forSky Sports as a pundit.[82] After working at Sky for over three years, Henry quit his position in July 2018 to focus on his career as a coach.[83]
Henry enjoyed a successful career with theFrance national team, winning the first of his 123 caps in June 1997, when his good form for Monaco was rewarded with a call-up to theUnder-20 French national team, where he played in the1997 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside future teammatesWilliam Gallas andDavid Trezeguet.[2] Within four months, France head coachAimé Jacquet called Henry up to the senior team. The 20-year-old made his senior international debut on 11 October 1997 in a 2–1 win againstSouth Africa.[84] Jacquet was so impressed with Henry that he took him to the1998 FIFA World Cup. Although Henry was a largely unknown quantity at international level, he ended the tournament as France's top scorer with three goals.[85] He was scheduled to appear as a substitute in thefinal, where France beatBrazil 3–0, butMarcel Desailly'ssending off forced a defensive change instead. In 1998, he was made aKnight of the Legion of Honour, France's highest decoration.[86]
Henry was a member of France'sUEFA Euro 2000squad, again scoring three goals in the tournament, including the equaliser againstPortugal in thesemi-final, and finishing as the country's top scorer.[87][88] France later won the game inextra time following a convertedpenalty kick byZinedine Zidane. France went on to defeatItaly in extra-time in thefinal, earning Henry his second major international medal.[89] During the tournament, Henry was votedman of the match in three games, including the final against Italy.[90][91]
The2002 FIFA World Cup featured a stunning early exit for both Henry and France as the defending champions were eliminated in thegroup stage after failing to score a goal in all three games.[2] France lost againstSenegal in their first group match and Henry wasred carded for a dangerous sliding challenge in their next match againstUruguay.[12] In that game, France played to a 0–0 draw, but Henry was forced to miss the final group match due to suspension; France lost 2–0 toDenmark.[12]
Henry returned to form for his country at the2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. Despite playing without team stalwarts Zidane andPatrick Vieira, France won, in large part owing to Henry's outstanding play, for which he was namedMan of the Match byFIFA's Technical Study Group in three of France's five matches.[2] In thefinal, he scored thegolden goal in extra time to lift the title for the host country after a 1–0 victory overCameroon.[2] Henry was awarded both theAdidas Golden Ball as the outstanding player of the competition and the Adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top goalscorer with four goals.[2]
InUEFA Euro 2004, Henry played in all of France's matches and scored two goals.[16] France beatEngland in thegroup stage but lost to the eventual winnersGreece 1–0 in thequarter-finals.[93] During the2006 FIFA World Cup Henry remained as one of the automatic starters in the squad. He played as a lone striker, but despite an indifferent start to the tournament, became one of the top players of the World Cup. He scored three goals, including the winning goal from Zidane's free kick against defending champions Brazil in thequarter-final.[2] However, France subsequently lost to Italyon penalties (5–3) in thefinal. Henry did not take part in the penalty shoot-out, having been substituted in extra time after his legs had cramped.[94] Henry was one of ten nominees for the Golden Ball award for Player of the Tournament, an award which was ultimately presented to his teammate, Zidane[95] and was named a starting striker on the 2006FIFPro World XI team.[96]
Henry (in blue, fourth from right) enters the field with France in theirEuro 2008 game against the Netherlands.
On 13 October 2007, Henry scored his 41st goal against theFaroe Islands, joiningMichel Platini as the country's top goalscorer of all time.[53] Four days later at theStade de la Beaujoire, he scored a late double againstLithuania, thereby setting a new record as France's top goalscorer.[97] On 3 June 2008, Henry made his100th appearance for the national team in a match againstColombia, becoming the sixth French player ever to reach that milestone.[98]
Henry missed the opening game of France's short-livedUEFA Euro 2008 campaign, where they were eliminated in thegroup stages after being drawn in the same group as Italy, theNetherlands andRomania.[99] He scored France's only goal in the competition in a 4–1 loss to the Netherlands.[100]
The French team struggled during the2010 FIFA World Cupqualifiers and finished second in theirgroup behindSerbia. During theplay-offs against theRepublic of Ireland, Henry was involved in acontroversy in the second leg of the game at theStade de France on 18 November 2009. With the aggregate score tied at 1–1 and the game in extra time, he used his hand twice to control the ball before delivering a cross toWilliam Gallas who scored the winner.[101] This sparked a barrage of criticism against the Frenchman, while national team coachRaymond Domenech and Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger defended him.[102][103] TheFootball Association of Ireland lodged a formal complaint withFIFA, seeking a replay of the game, which FIFA declined.[104] Henry said that he contemplated retiring from international football after the reactions to the incident, but maintained that he was not a "cheat"; hours after FIFA had ruled out a replay, he stated that "the fairest solution would be to replay the game".[105] FIFA PresidentSepp Blatter described the incident as "blatant unfair play" and announced an inquiry into how such incidents could be avoided in future, and added that the incident would be investigated by the Disciplinary Committee.[106] Blatter also said Henry told him that his family had been threatened in the aftermath of the incident.[107] In January 2010, FIFA announced that there was no legal basis to sanction Henry.[108]
Henry did not feature in the starting line-up for France at the2010 FIFA World Cup. France drew in their first game against Uruguay, and lost 2–0 in their second againstMexico. The team was thrown into disarray whenNicolas Anelka was expelled from the team, and captainPatrice Evra led a team protest by refusing to train.[109] In the finalgroup game against host-nation South Africa in which Henry came on as a second-half substitute, France lost 2–1 and were eliminated from the tournament. He then announced his retirement from international football, having won 123 caps and scored 51 goals forLes Bleus, thus finishing his international career as France's all-time top scorer, and second most capped player afterLilian Thuram.[110]
Style of play
Henry attacking for the MLS All Stars in 2013
Although Henry played up front as a striker during his youth,[13] he spent his time at Monaco and Juventus playing on thewing. When Henry joined Arsenal in 1999, Wenger immediately changed this, switching Henry to his childhood position, often pairing him with Dutch veteranDennis Bergkamp.[18] During the 2004–05 season, Wenger switched Arsenal's formation to4–5–1.[111] This change forced Henry to adapt again to fit into the Arsenal team, and he played many games as a lone striker.[18] Still, Henry remained Arsenal's main offensive threat, on many occasions conjuring spectacular goals. Wenger said of his fellow Frenchman: "Thierry Henry could take the ball in the middle of the park and score a goal that no one else in the world could score".[112]
One of the reasons cited for Henry's impressive play up front is his ability to calmly score from one-on-ones.[113] According to his father Antoine, Henry learned precision shooting from watching his idolMarco van Basten.[13] He was also influenced byRomário,Ronaldo and Liberian starGeorge Weah, a new breed of strikers in the 1990s who would also operate outside the penalty area before running with the ball towards goal.[114] At his physical peak from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, Henry's ability todribble past opponents with exceptional pace, skill and composure, meant that he could get in behind defenders regularly enough to score.[13][115] In 2004, former Arsenal strikerAlan Smith commented on Henry: "I have to say I haven't seen a player like him. He's an athlete with great technical ability and a tremendous desire to be the best."[13]
Henry taking on Manchester United defenderJohn O'Shea. In his prime, Henry would often drift out to the left wing position and run towards goal.[116]
When up front, Henry is occasionally known to move out wide to the left wing position,[116][117] something which enables him to contribute heavily inassists: between 2002–03 and 2004–05, the striker managed almost 50 assists in total and this was attributed to his unselfish play and creativity.[39] Ranking Henry the greatest player in Premier League history, in February 2020FourFourTwo magazine stated, "No one assisted more in a season. No one has terrorised defenders with such a combination of bewitching grace and phenomenal power."[118]
Coming in from the left, Henry's trademark finish saw him place the ball inside the far right corner of the goal.[119] Henry would also drift offside to fool the defence then run back onside before the ball is played and beat theoffside trap, although he never provided Arsenal a distinct aerial threat.[120] Given his versatility in being able to operate as both a winger and a striker, the Frenchman is not a prototypical "out-and-out striker", but he has emerged consistently as one of Europe's most prolific strikers.[12] Inset pieces, Henry was the first-choicepenalty andfree kick taker for Arsenal, scoring regularly from those situations.[121][122] Henry was also a notable exponent of a no-look pass where he wouldfeint to pass the ball with his right foot, but would make contact with the ball using his standing foot (his left).[123]
Managerial career
Arsenal youth
Henry as coach of Arsenal under 19s in September 2015
Henry began coaching Arsenal's youth teams in February 2015, in tandem with his work for Sky Sports.[124] His influence on the team was praised by players such asAlex Iwobi, who dedicated a goal against Bayern Munich in the2015–16 UEFA Youth League to his advice.[125] Having earned aUEFA A Licence, he was offered the job of under-18 coach by Academy headAndries Jonker, but the decision was overruled by Wenger, who wanted a full-time coach for the team.[126]
Belgium (assistant)
In August 2016, Henry became second assistant coach of theBelgium national team, working alongside head coachRoberto Martínez and fellow assistantGraeme Jones.[127] In an interview withNBC Sports, Belgium strikerRomelu Lukaku praised Henry for his work with him, stating, "Henry is the best thing that has happened to me because since I came to England aged 18 I have had the best mentors. Thierry for me is the best. Every day whether it is positive and negative I take it in my stride because I know what is expected from the top level."[128] At the2018 FIFA World Cup, Belgium reached the semi-final, but lost to Henry's home nation France 1–0.[129] Henry picked up a Bronze medal after Belgium defeatedEngland 2–0 in the third-place play-off to secure their best ever World Cup finish.[130]
Henry was reportedly offered the position of head coach byBordeaux in August 2018.[131][132] However, he declined the offer after disagreements with the club's owners.[133][134] Days after turning down the Bordeaux job, and following Jones's departure from the Belgium national team, Henry, who had been the forwards coach, was promoted to Belgium assistant coach.[135] However, his tenure in the role was short-lived, after he accepted the role as head coach at former clubMonaco in October.[136]
Monaco
On 11 October 2018, Monaco dismissedLeonardo Jardim as club manager.[137] Jardim's position had become untenable after struggling heavily in domestic competition, with the club 18th at the time of his departure, and disputes over the club's transfer policy.[138] Monaco's search for a new coach coincided with the regulatory mid-season international break, allowing the club sufficient time to search for a replacement, however, they quickly decided on Henry, and he was appointed a mere two days later.[136] He signed a three-year deal, and was unveiled as Monaco manager on 18 October. At his first press conference, he told reporters: "This club will always have a big place in my heart, so to be able to come here and start again, it is a dream come true. There is a lot of work to do, as you can imagine – but I am more than happy to be here".[139]
Henry's arrival at Monaco was greeted with mixed reactions by some media outlets, due to his relative inexperience as a top-level coach and the task of overturning Monaco's misfortunes. Despite inheriting a squad of sub-standard quality,[140] Henry expressed a desire of replicating the football he played underPep Guardiola atBarcelona, as well as instilling the "professionalism" taught to him byArsène Wenger.[141] Henry also adopted a hands-on approach to training sessions, being regularly involved in devising schemes and instructing drills.[142] His first match was a 2–1 away defeat againstStrasbourg on 20 October.[143] He was unable to secure a win for over a month, enduring a period which included two high-profile defeats againstClub Brugge[144] andParis Saint-Germain,[145] prior to defeatingCaen on 1–0 on 25 November.[146] He secured two wins in December, defeatingAmiens in the league andLorient in theCoupe de la Ligue, however, this was on the backdrop of three additional Ligue 1 defeats to close 2018 in the relegation zone.[147][148]
In January 2019, Henry entered the winter transfer window, where he signed left-backFodé Ballo-Touré, and former Arsenal teammateCesc Fàbregas fromChelsea. He also sanctioned the loan signing of French defensive midfielderWilliam Vainqueur on 12 January, and experienced defenderNaldo. However, these signings would not turn around the club's fate, and on 24 January, Henry was dismissed at Monaco. The club were 19th at the time of his departure, and Henry left with a record of 4 wins, 5 draws, and 11 defeats, from 20 games in charge.[149]
Montreal Impact
On 14 November 2019, Henry became manager of Major League Soccer sideMontreal Impact, signing a two-year deal until the end of the 2021 season with an option to extend it by a year until the 2022 season.[150] In his first press conference, Henry stated he had to "confront" the relative disappointment of his short stint as manager of Monaco, before undertaking a new job.[151]
After leading Montreal to their first playoff berth in four seasons, on 25 February 2021, prior to the2021 season, Henry stepped down as head coach of the renamed CF Montréal to be closer to his children in London. He had not been able to see them in the 2020 season due to travel restrictions during theCOVID-19 pandemic, and with restrictions continuing into the 2021 season, he decided to end the separation.[152][153]
Remember the kid in the playground who was better than everyone else with a football at his feet? That's what Thierry Henry was like in his pomp. The Frenchman had exquisite technique, searing pace, and like the typical schoolboy superstar, he did pretty much everything for his team.
—Arsenal.com entry for Henry ranking him No. 1 in their list of the 50 Greatest Arsenal Players.[164]
Henry has received many plaudits and awards in his football career. He was runner-up for the 2003 and 2004FIFA World Player of the Year awards;[23] in those two seasons, he also won back-to-back PFA Players' Player of the Year titles.[30] Henry is the only player ever to have won the FWA Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, 2006),[31] and the French Player of the Year on a record four occasions. Henry was voted into the Premier League Overseas Team of the Decade in the 10 Seasons Awards poll in 2003,[165] and in 2004 he was named by football legendPelé on theFIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[166]
In terms of goal-scoring awards, Henry was the European Golden Boot winner in 2004 and 2005 (sharing it withVillarreal'sDiego Forlán in 2005).[36] Henry was also the top goalscorer in the Premier League for a record four seasons (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006).[2] In 2006, he became the first player to score more than 20 goals in the league for five consecutive seasons (2002 to 2006).[168] With 175, Henry is currently seventh in thelist of all-time Premier League goalscorers, behindAlan Shearer,Wayne Rooney,Harry Kane,Andy Cole,Sergio Agüero, andFrank Lampard. He held the record for most goals in the competition for one club, until it was broken by Rooney in 2016,[169] and held the record for most goals by a foreign player in the competition until surpassed by Agüero in 2020.[170] France's all-time record goalscorer was, in his prime in the mid-2000s, regarded by many coaches, footballers and journalists as one of the best players in the world.[27][171][172][173] In November 2007, he was ranked 33rd on theAssociation of Football Statisticians' compendium for "Greatest Ever Footballers".[174]
Arsenal fans honoured their former player in 2008, declaring Henry the greatest Arsenal player.[54] In two other 2008 surveys, Henry emerged as the favourite Premier League player of all time among 32,000 people surveyed in the Barclays 2008 Global Fan Report.[175][176] Arsenal fan andThe Who lead singerRoger Daltrey mentions Henry in the tribute song "Highbury Highs", which he performed at Arsenal's last game at Highbury on 7 May 2006.[177] On 10 December 2011, Arsenal unveiled a bronze statue of Henry at the Emirates Stadium as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations.[178] In 2017,FourFourTwo magazine ranked him first in their list of the 30 best strikers in Premier League history.[179] Daniel Girard ofThe Toronto Star described Henry as "one of the best players of his generation" in 2010.[180] Henry's former Arsenal manager, Wenger, described him as "one of the greatest players [he had] ever seen" in 2014.[181] In 2019,The Independent ranked Henry in first place in their list of the "100 greatest Premier League players".[182]
Personal life
Henry in 2007
Henry married English model Nicole Merry, real name Claire, on 5 July 2003.[13] The ceremony was held atHighclere Castle, and on 27 May 2005 the couple celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter.[183]
When Henry was still at Arsenal, he purchased a home inHampstead,North London.[13] Shortly after his transfer to Barcelona, it was announced that Henry and his wife would divorce; thedecree nisi was granted in September 2007,[184] "on the basis of his behavior".[185] Their separation concluded in December 2008, when Henry paid Merry a divorce settlement close to her requested sum of £10 million.[186]
Henry has been with his second wife, Bosnian model Andrea Rajačić, since 2011. They have three children together.[187]
As a fan of theNational Basketball Association (NBA), Henry is often seen with his friendTony Parker at games when not playing football. Henry stated in an interview that he admires basketball, as it is similar to football in pace and excitement.[190] Having made regular trips to theNBA Finals in the past, he went to watch Parker and theSan Antonio Spurs in the2007 NBA Finals;[191] and in the2001 NBA Finals, he went to Philadelphia to help with French television coverage of the Finals as well as to watchAllen Iverson, whom he named as one of his favourite players.[190]
In May 2023, he expressed his support for a number of new rules to be introduced to football. These included the introduction of a bonus point if a team scores a certain amount of goal and temporary reversible substitutions for players requiring treatment both of which have already been implemented in rugby.[194]
Appearance on screen
Henry makes a short cameo appearance in the 2015 filmEntourage. Henry's part sees him walking a dog and having exchange with Ari Gold (character played byJeremy Piven), who is an over-the-top Hollywood agent.[195] He makes a number of cameo appearances playing himself in theApple TV+ football comedy seriesTed Lasso.[196]
Henry is a member of theUNICEF-FIFA squad, where together with other professional footballers he appeared in a series of TV spots seen by hundreds of millions of fans around the world during the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. In these spots, the players promote football as a game that must be played on behalf of children.[85]
Henry speaking against online bullying at theWeb Summit in 2021
Having been subjected to racism in the past, Henry is an active spokesperson againstracism in football. The most prominent incident of racism against Henry was during a training session with theSpanish national team in 2004,[198][199] when a Spanish TV crew caught coachLuis Aragonés referring to Henry as "black shit" toJosé Antonio Reyes, Henry's teammate at Arsenal.[200] The incident caused an uproar in the British media, and there were calls for Aragonés to be sacked.[201] Henry andNike started theStand Up Speak Up campaign against racism in football as a result of the incident.[202] Subsequently, in 2007,Time featured him as one of the "Heroes & Pioneers" on theTime 100 list of the most influential people in the world.[203]
Henry has also played in charity football games for various causes. In June 2018, he reunited with his France 1998 World Cup winning teammates to play a charity game against an All-Star team which included Jamaican sprinterUsain Bolt, with proceeds going to the Mecenet Cardiac Charity and the Children of the World fund. In a 3–2 win for France, Henry played a trademark no-look one-two pass withZinedine Zidane before scoring with a 20-yard curling strike.[123]
Commercial endorsements
In 2006, Henry was valued as the ninth-most commercially marketable footballer in the world, and throughout his career he has signed many endorsements and appeared in commercials.[206]
Sportswear
At the beginning of his career, Henry signed with sportswear giantNike. In the buildup to the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, Henry featured in Nike's "Secret Tournament" advertisement, directed byTerry Gilliam, along with 24 superstar football players.[207][208] In a 2004 advertisement, Henry pits his wits against others footballers in locations such as his bedroom and living room, which was partly inspired by Henry himself, who revealed that he always has a football nearby, even at home.[209] In tandem with the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Henry also featured in Nike'sJoga Bonito campaign, Portuguese for "beautiful game".[210]
Henry's deal with Nike ended after the 2006 FIFA World Cup, when he signed a deal withReebok to appear in their "I Am What I Am" campaign.[211] As part of Reebok Entertainment's "Framed" series, Henry was the star of a half-hour episode that detailed the making of a commercial about himself directed by Spanish actressPaz Vega.[212] In 2011, Henry switched toPuma boots.[213]
Others
Henry featured in theRenault Clio advertisements in which he popularised the termva-va-voom, meaning "life" or "passion". His romantic interest in the commercial was his then-girlfriend, later his wife (now divorced), Claire Merry."Va-va-voom" was subsequently added to theConcise Oxford English Dictionary.[214]
In February 2007, Henry was named as one of the three global ambassadors ofGillette's "Champions Program", which purported to feature three of the "best-known, most widely respected and successful athletes competing today" and also showcasedRoger Federer andTiger Woods in a series of television commercials.[36][215] In reaction to thehandball controversy following the France vs Ireland 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Gillette faced a boycott and accusations of doctoring French versions of their Champions poster, but subsequently released a statement backing Henry.[216][217]
Henry was part ofPepsi's "Dare For More" campaign in 2005, alongside the likes ofDavid Beckham andRonaldinho.[218] He starred in a 2014 advert forBeats headphones with other global football stars includingNeymar andLuis Suárez, with the theme of "The Game Before the Game" and the players pre-game ritual of listening to music.[219]
A Includes one appearance from the match against FIFA XI on 16 August 2000 whichFIFA and theFrench Football Federation count as an official friendly match.[230]
^Reyna, Claudio, and Woitalla, Mike,More Than Goals: The Journey from Backyard Games to World Cup Competition (2004), p 122, Human Kinetics,ISBN0-7360-5171-6
^"Best Premier League players EVER: 100 greatest footballers in England's top flight since 1992".FourFourTwo. 28 February 2020.Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved1 August 2020.1. Thierry Henry. No one has won the Golden Boot more times. No one assisted more in a season. No one has terrorised defenders with such a combination of bewitching grace and phenomenal power. He was the catalyst in two Premier League titles for Arsenal, carried them on his back during the dark days and lit up English football with his signature swagger.
^"Ranked! The 30 best strikers in Premier League history".Four Four Two.Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved16 August 2018.1. Thierry Henry. No other player has ever hit more than 20 goals in five consecutive campaigns. On four of those occasions he was Premier League top scorer, collecting the PFA's Player of the Year prize in 2003 and 2004, and the Football Writers' award in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
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