Thierry Henry may not be a household name
in North America, but everywhere else on the planet he's known as the
most dynamic offensive player in the world's most popular game. The
French soccer star began life in a Paris ghetto, earned national fame as
a precocious teen, rocketed to prominence on the sport's ultimate
international stage, then led his pro team to the first undefeated
season in more than a century. Thierry is that most deadly of strikers,
combining unmatched speed with tremendous vision and
creativity—and he's still adding dimensions to his game. This is his
story…
GROWING UP
Thierry Henry was born on August 17, 1977, in the small suburban Paris
town of Les Ulis. His parents, Antoine and Marylese, left the French
Antilles one year prior in search of a better life.
The state issued the family a subsidized two-bedroom apartment, which
was buried amidst the tall, concrete, sixties-style buildings that
served as Les Ulis' trademark. The high percentage of immigrants,
combined with the narrow roadways and lack of public parks, made the
town a ghetto in the eyes of many Parisians.
Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, Antoine stressed the importance
of athletics, specifically soccer, to Thierry. Marylese worried that her
son spent too much time on the pitch and not enough time studying.
Thierry listened to both his parents, and became a great student and an
even better soccer player.
Antoine continually took Thierry to local soccer camps and matches, and
it soon became evident that the youngster was an above-average player
for his age. As Thierry reached his early teenage years, he started
opening the eyes of local scouts. Thierry starred for both the junior
team of Les Ulis and the neighboring town of Palaiseau.
It was Thierry Pret, a scout for the semi-pro team of Viry-Chatillon,
who first spotted Thierry. At the time, Viry-Chatillon had the
reputation as the best club for developing the skills of young Parisians.
Pret approached Antoine about 13-year-old Thierry.
Antoine was easily persuaded, and Thierry began playing for
Viry-Chatillon's Under-15 team. Shortly after the youngster joined the
club, Antoine and Marylese split up. Marylese moved to nearby Orsay in
an effort to get her son into Alexander Fleming College. Thierry
attended the school for a while, but his focus remained on the soccer
field. In just 26 games for Viry-Chatillon, Thierry had 77 goals.
Just before his 14th birthday, Thierry was one of the 25 boys selected
for the French Football Federation's Clairefontaine Academy, located
about 30 miles west of Paris. Like every teen who receives this
prestigious honor, he lived at the school and concentrated almost
exclusively on soccer. William Gallas, Louis Saha and Nicolas Anelka
were among Thierry’s classmates at Clairefontaine.
Two years into his stint at Clairefontaine, Thierry was viewed by his
coaches as a project player—still too raw to be considered a future
star. They liked his speed and his intelligence, but worried that his
ball-handling, passing and scoring ability would not improve to an elite
level.
Arsene Wenger, however, saw the potential in Thierry. The manager of
Monaco at the time, Wenger didn't hesitate to sign the 16-year-old to an
apprentice contract. Thierry made his first professional appearance on
August 31, 1994, in a 2-0 loss to Nice. He played in eight games during
his first season and scored three goals.
Thierry had a mediocre second season with Monaco, appearing in 18 games
and tallying only three goals. Wenger struggled to find the right place
on the field for the teenager. Conventional wisdom said that a player
with Thierry’s speed and skill would be a natural fit on the wing. But
Wenger suspected Thierry could one day become a great striker, even if
he didn't have the deadly scoring touch of past stars like Pele,
Maradona and Klinnsman.
Under Wenger's tutelage, Henry became France’s Young Player of the Year
in 1996, leading the country’s Under-18 team to the European
Championship. With many of Europe's biggest clubs interested in Thierry
(his apprentice deal with Monaco was about to expire), Thierry hired a
side-agent who was not registered with FIFA. When Spanish powerhouse
Real Madrid negotiated a lucrative new contract with Thierry, Monaco
cried foul, claiming they already had an agreement with a registered
agent to retain their up-and-coming star. Thierry found himself on two
different teams at the same time.
FIFA officials settled the debate by fining Thierry and Real Madrid. He
continued to play with Monaco, agreeing on a multi-year extension in
January of 1997.
ON THE RISE
Keeping Thierry was a stroke of genius by Monaco. He exploded in his
third year, leading the club to the French First Division Championship.
The anchor of the team’s offense, he scored nine goals in 36 games.
Next up for Thierry was the 1997 World Youth Championships in Malaysia
for France’s Under-20 squad. He saw the tournament as an opportunity to
showcase his skills to the soccer world, not to mention organizers of
the French National Team. The World Cup was a year away, and with France
hosting the event, Thierry was eager to represent his country. He
performed well enough, but the Blue and White lost in the quarter-finals
to Uruguay in a shoot-out. Later in the year, Thierry got his first
international cap in a 2-1 friendly victory over South Africa.
Heading into the 1997-1998 season, Monaco had its sights set on a
second-straight division championship and the UEFA Champions League
title. The team looked to Thierry to carry them towards both goals, but
the pressure to make France's World Cup squad affected his play. In 30
French First Division games, Thierry had only four goals. He stepped up
his play in the Champions League, scoring seven goals—a French record
—and guiding Monaco to the semi-finals, where they lost to Juventus on
aggregate scoring,
It was obvious that Thierry was worrying about the World Cup. Some
French fans began to give up on Thierry, focusing instead on teammate
David Trezeguet, who many called the next Gabriel Batistuta. His
struggles could also be attributed to the departure of Wenger prior to
the season, who left to manage in the Japanese First Division (and
shortly thereafter went on to Arsenal). Thierry was comfortable under
Wenger and struggled to find that same level under new manager Jean
Tigana.
There were aslo rumors were swirling about Monaco's plans to transfer
Thierry to another club. Barcelona, offering up to 12 million pounds for
his services, was the frontrunner. Arsenal, Manchester United and Real
Madrid were all in on the bidding, too. Thierry was actually bolstered
by the speculation—at least the upper echelon teams were still
interested in him.
As it turned out, Aime Jacquet, skipper of the French National team, was
also interested. Figuring that Thierry's potential was too promising, he
couldn't leave him off the squad. Jacquet would not regret his decision.
The favorites heading into the World Cup were Brazil and England, but
the French were by no means not longshots. Still, they would only have a
chance if they used the energy of their hometown fans to play near
perfect matches every time out.
Jacquet's main concern was his squad's lack of a proven goal scorer.
Trezeguet, Thierry's teammate at Monaco, seemed to be the future, but at
20-years-old, he was inexperienced. Stephane Guivarc'h was playing well
for Auxerre, but he had just one international goal to his credit.
Jacquet even tried youngsters Nicolas Anelka and Christophe Dugarry. For
both, however, the international game was too much for them. In the one
warm-up match the two played in, the French failed to score
As for Thierry, many of the European publications never even mentioned
his name in their World Cup previews.
In their second match, the French caught a couple of unlucky breaks.
Dugarry tore his hamstring, thus taking him out of the remainder of the
tournament. Then Zidane stomped on a Saudi Arabian player and was banned
for the next two games. France needed a lift, and Thierry was right
there to provide it.
He opened the scoring in the 36th minute by one-timing a cross from
Bixente Lizarazu into the net. Trezeguet followed with a goal in the
68th minute, and then Thierry struck again. He jumped all over a bad
pass by a Saudi Arabian defender and easily slipped the ball in on a
breakaway. Lizarazu would add a goal of his own to make the final score
4-0.
With a bid into the next round secured, Jacquet elected to sit Thierry
against Denmark. Fully rested, he began France's first elimination match
against Paraguay at the wing, rather than striker. The move by Jacquet
backfired, however, as Thierry couldn't find any rhythm. He was actually
subbed out in the 64th minute.
In the 113th minute, Les Blues broke their deadlock with Paraguay on a
golden goal by Blanc. With French fans delirious with celebration, the
squad prepared for to meet Italy in the quarter-finals.
Even with Zidane back in the lineup, the French again struggled to
produce any offense. But their defense was up to the task of stopping
Italina striker Roberto Baggio, who did nothing of note during the
match. Tied after regulation, the contest went into penalty kicks.
Zidane converted first for France and Baggio followed suit for Italy.
Both keepers saved the next two shots. Then Trezeguet made it 2-1 for
France, and Italy countered to make it 2-2. Thierry was the next shooter
for the French, and he calmly placed his kick in the net. Italy tied it
again at 3-3. Blanc then made it 4-3 in Franc's favor. When Luigi Di
Biagio hit the crossbar, France earned a trip to the semi-finals.
Waiting for the French was the other feel-good story of the tournament,
Croatia. France got two goals from the most unlikely of sources,
defender Lilian Thuram, who had 35 caps and no goals entering the match.
The French won 2-1, and entered the World Cup final for the first time
ever. Thierry saw meaningful minutes against Croatia, but again in the
midfield, where his offensive skills remained hidden.
France awaited Brazil in the final. The defending champions and heavy
favorites, the Brazilians were led by Ronaldo, was going for his first
World Cup title. But Les Blues had emotion on their side. The French
didn't just beat the Brazilians, they dominated them in every facet of
the game. Zidane scored twice, becoming the first to do so in a final
since Pele 40 years earlier, France prevailed 3-0.
Thierry watched all the action in the final from the sidelines, as
Jacquet opted for his most experienced lineup. But Thierry celebrated
like he had scored the game-winner.
After coming down from the emotional high of the World Cup, he had to
decide where he would play his club soccer. His first choice was Arsenal,
where he would be reunited with Wenger. But Italy's Juventus had the
deepest pockets.
Unfortuantely, Thierry's new team was in a state of turmoil. Used on the
wing for Juventus, he felt overwhelming amounts of pressure from his
hometown supporters. The atmosphere on the club was strikingly different
from the more laid back Monaco, too. Thierry quickly learned that soccer
could be life and death for Juventus fans, and if he didn't perform he
was going to hear about it. Out of position and out of confidence,
Thierry needed a change, and Wenger provided it.
The two had agreed there was a spot on Arsenal for Thierry if things
didn't go well with Juventus. After his miserable season in Italy—he had
three goals in 16 games—Arsenal paid 10 million pounds to secure
Thierry's rights. The move caused great controversy, but Wenger was
convinced Thierry would be rejuvenated with a switch back to striker.
Initially, it appeared he was dead wrong. Thierry went scoreless in his
first eight matches with Arsenal. But he began to turn things around
with the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Southampton. Thierry had a
great March, scoring five times in eight matches for the Gunners, and
then finished the season with 17 Premiership goals in 31 appearances.
Arsenl ended the year 18 points behind Manchester United in the
Premiership and lost in the finals of the UEFA Champions League against
Galatasaray.
Thierry immediately readied himself for Euro 2000, where France would be
favored to win their second major championship in a row. He had a lot to
prove. Because of his poor play in Italy, he had not appeared once for
the Blue and White in the past year and a half.
Thierry's greatest challenge would by adjusting again to another
position. New French manager Roger Lemerre still saw him as a winger,
believing Trezeguet, along with Thierry's boyhood friend Nicolas Anelka,
as his strikers would open up the field for everyone on the team. This
strategy worked in the opening match against Denmark, as Thierry scored
a brilliant goal in a rousing victory.
He dominated France's second match with the Czech Republic, netting his
second goal of the tournament with some nifty ball-handling. Thierry
also assisted on the game-winner by Youri Djorkaeff. The French won 2-1,
and moved onto the quarter-finals.
Against Spain, Les Blues looked sluggish, which prompted Lemerre to move
Thierry to striker. France snapped out of its doldrums, and eeked out a
2-1 win on goals by Zidane and Djorkaeff.
In the semis, the French took on the Portuguese. Portugal seized the
lead early, but Thierry tied the game on a rocket shot in the 50th
minute. It stayed that way until the 117th minute, when Portuguese
defender Abel Xavier played the ball with his hand inside the penalty
area. With Portugal furious over th call, Zidane slid the penalty kick
into the net for the golden goal.
The final matched France against Italy. The contest's first few minutes
rwere slow and plodding. But midway through the first half, the Italian
defense gave Thierry room to maneuver. He ripped a shot, but it hit the
post and the game went into halftime in a scoreless tie.
Italy broke the game open in the 55th minute, and it appeared that they
would go on to win the match. But French substitute Sylvain Wiltord
scored the equalizer in the 90th minute to stun the Italians. In the
103rd minute, Trezeguet spotted a hole in the Italian defense and
delivered the goal that gave the French the Euro Cup Championship.
Thierry, meanwhile, solidified himself as the co-leader of the French
squad, along with Zidane.
Thierry's strong showing in Euro 2000 didn't go unnoticed. Real Madrid
and Barcelona were both gunning for his services, and the ensuing
bidding war drove his price high, almost high enough to lure him out of
England. But Thierry trusted Wenger, and he adored the Arsenal fans. In
the past, some players of African descent had encountered problems in
the Premiership. That wasn't the case with Arsenal.
MAKING HIS MARK
Thierry wanted to win championships with Arsenal. He frequently
expressed his jealousy of Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira, who won titles
with the Gunners and helped establish the club as a Premiership
powerhouse. Thierry hoped to be part of that legacy.
Unfortunately, Arsenal had a disappointing 2000-2001 season, losing to
Valencia in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and finishing a
distant second to Manchester United in the Premiership again. They could
have salvaged the year by beating Liverpool in the final of the FA Cup,
but that was not meant to be either. Michael Owen and Liverpool turned
the Gunners away, 2-1. Thierry finished the season with a respectable 22
goals in all, with 17 of them coming in Premiership play.
The success Thierry craved came in the 2001-2002 season. Arsenal
finished 26-9-3 to win the Premiership by seven points over Liverpool.
Then the team fought off a scrappy Chelsea team to win the FA Cup,
posting a 2-0 victory in the final. Thierry spearheaded the offense,
though he didn't cash in on any of his numerous chances. Ray Parlour and
Freddie Ljungberg tallied the goals. Still, Thierry ranked first in the
Premiership in scoring for the first time in his career, netting 24
goals.
Things didn't go as smoothly in the Champions League. The Gunners failed
to advance out of the second group stage with lackluster efforts against
Leverkusen and Deportivo.
Thierry's stellar season brought more than just acclaim on the soccer
pitch. He landed big deals with powerful sponsors, most notably Nike,
which paid him millions to wear its boots. Thierry enjoyed his newfound
riches. Among other things, he built a huge home in England, which at
the time was the largest, most expensive house ever built by a
footballer in the country.
Riding high, Thierry looked forward to the 2002 World Cup, in South
Korea and Japan. With him and Zidane leading the way, the French were
poised to continue their dominance in international competition. But
their run met a painful end.
France fell to heavy underdogs Senegal in its opening match, 1-0.
Thierry had his team's best chance to tie the match in the second half,
but missed on a header with a wide open net in front of him.
Disaster also struck in France's second match against Uruguay. In the
26th minute, Thierry went in for a hard, spikes-up tackle, and the
referee showed him the red card. With Thierry out for the remainder of
the match and the next game against Denmark, Les Blues were suddenly
shorthanded. When the Uruguay match finished 0-0, the French needed a
two-goal victory over Denmark to advance. But Thierry's absence robbed
them of their top offensive weapon. The Danes dominated play and won
2-0, sending France home. It was the first time since 1966 that the
defending champ failed to make it out of group play.
Heading into the 2002-2003 Arsenal season, Thierry wanted nothing more
than to put the World Cup behind him. Now a well-established star, he
grew more comfortable with his celebrity. FIFA, however, wasn't.
Thierry began a unique celebration after scoring a goal, raising his
jersey to reveal t-shirts with messages to friends and family. Others
soon joined in on the fun. FIFA had seen enough, and outlawed the
display. (Thierry still celebrates this way now and then, and thanks to
Nike can afford the FIFA fines.)
Shirtless or not, Thierry enjoyed another strong season for Arsenal. His
best effort came in November in the Champions League against Roma. On
the road and in need of a victory, the Gunners looked to their leader,
who netted a hat-trick to give his club a come-from-behind 3-1 victory.
The win wasn't enough, however, as Arsenal struggled in their other
second-group matches. The club wound up with four ties, two of them
coming against Ajax and the other two against Valencia and Roma. For the
second year in a row, the Gunners lost in second-group play in the
Champions League.
In the Premiership, Thierry broke from the gate on fire, scoring six
goals in the first ten games of the season. As the season rolled on,
Manchester United and Arsenal were locked in a two-horse race at the top
of the standings, and Thierry and Man U. striker Ruud van Nistelrooy
were neck-and-neck at the top of the scoring list.
Manchester came out ahead in both categories. Van Nistelrooy edged
Thierry for the scoring title by one goal, 25-24, and Arsenal fell short
of Man U. in the Premiership standings by five points, 83-78.
With disappointing results in the Champions League and the Premiership,
the Gunners aimed to salvage their season with an FA Cup title. Standing
in their way in the final was the surprise team from Southampton.
Thierry was everywhere from the start, narrowly missing two chances
within the first three minutes. He then set up the winning goal in
Arsenal's 1-0 victory, with a brilliant ball to Dennis Bergkamp, who
sent a cross to Freddie Ljungberg. He laid the ball off to Robert Pires,
who nothced the game's only tally.
Despite the disappointment of the Premiership season, Thierry's fellow
players still named him as the Premiership Player of the Year.
Entering the 2003-2004 Arsenal season, Thierry and his Gunner teammates
focused on reclaiming the Premiership title. Arsenal supporters were
also beginning to whisper about what was once unthinkable: breaking Ian
Wright's club scoring record. Thierry was in striking distance. In
January of 2003, he had notched his 100th goal in just his 180th
appearance. Wright's mark stood at 184 goals in 287 appearances. Many
fans rooted for Thierry to surpass him.
Midway through the season, the Gunners were undefeated in 19 matches.
Premiership fans wondered if Arsenal would ever lose. With eight goals,
Thierry was a key to the team's great play.
Building on their momentum, the Gunners just kept winning and salvaging
draws. In a four-game span, Thierry scored six goals in four games, and
netted another hat-trick in April, this time against Liverpool. He
topped that performance a week later against Leeds, when he scored four
times in a 5-0 victory. Thierry attributed his barrage to his growing
knowledge of the central striker position under the guidance of Wenger.
With Leicester standing between them and an undefeated season, the
Gunners won 2-1, becoming the first team to go through a Premiership
season wihtout a loss since Preston North End in the 1888-1889. Thierry
added a penalty kick in the match, his league-leading 30th goal of the
season. Alan Shearer was next closest at 22.
But while the Gunners finished the Premiership without a blemish on
their record, they failed to win the FA Cup, and also lost to Chelsea in
aggregate scoring in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Still, Thierry was a no-brainer for his second consecutive Premiership
Player of the Year Award. The first player to be so honored in
consecutive years, he was only the third to walk away with the hardware
twice.
After the season, Barcelona again tried to grab Thierry from Arsenal,
but he declined. The Gunners, in turn, signed him to an extension that
will keep Thierry in Highbury until 2007.
Thierry next was off to Portugal for Euro 2004, where Les Blues hoped to
repeat as European Champions. The tournament opened with the match-up
everyone wanted to see: England vs. France, Wayne Rooney against Thierry.
The Brits struck first in the 38th minute, but the ageless Zidane
responded in the clutch ... twice. His two goals, in the 91st and 93rd
minutes, stunned the English and energized the French heading into their
second match with Croatia.
The Croatians moved ahead 2-1 with two quick second-half goals.
Trezeguet then tied things up in the 61st minute, which is how the match
ended. The French needed a win in their third game, with Switzerland.
Thierry came up big.
With the game knotted 1-1 in the 76th minute, Luis Saha sent a header
into the box, where Thierry cleaned it up to give the French a 2-1 lead.
He sealed the victory in the 84th minute with one of his patented
breakaway goals.
In the quarters, Fr ance faced upstart Greece. The Cinderella Greeks
shocked Les Blues, knocking off the defending champs. They went on to
win the championship in eye-opening fashion.
Thierry now hopes to lead Arsenal to the Champions League championship,
another Premiership title and the FA Cup, but he and the Gunners will be
tested. Thierry started the 2004-2005 season with a tender Achilles
tendon, and fellow-striker Patrick Vieira may be aiming to leave Arsenal.
However, as long as Thierry is scoring goals, the possibility of his
first Champions League championship is alive and well—which can't
necessarily be said for Wright's standing as Arsenal's all-time leading
scorer.
Since joining Arsenal in August 1999 Thierry Henry has played
consistently well and has been the club’s highest scorer every year
since 2001. He has received many trophies and awards including 2
premiership titles and has been named in the top 3 players in the world
in 2004 and 2005.
He was runner-up for the 2003 and 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year
award while helping Arsenal to an unbeaten record (26 wins, 12 draws) in
the Premiership. He has also won both the Football Writers' Association
Footballer of the Year and the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice. In
2004/5, despite Arsenal being the runners-up in the Premiership, Henry
emerged with the European Golden Boot - the award for the top goalscorer
in Europe - for the second consecutive year (albeit sharing with
Villarreal's Diego Forlan in 2005). Henry has appeared in television
advertisements for Nike, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Renault (once with
his English model girlfriend Nicole Merry, whom he married in July 2003)
and will soon front adverts for Pepsi. On May 27, 2005, Henry celebrated
the birth of his first child, Tea Henry. Henry and his family live in
Hampstead, north London. In January 2006, the Spanish media reported
that Henry would sign for FC Barcelona at the start of the 2006-07
season. However, Henry has repeatedly stated his desire to stay with
Arsenal. , although as of January 31, 2005 he has not signed the new
contract Arsenal are offering.
He was made Arsenal captain in the summer of 2005, succeeding the
recently departed Patrick Vieira.
Thierry Henry's great pace, skills and goalscoring has made him a
favourite with the Arsenal fans, and in October 2005 with a couple of
goals against Sparta Prague, Henry beat Ian Wright's record to become
Arsenal's all-time top goal-scorer.
On February 1, 2006, he scored a goal against West Ham, bringing his
league goal tally up to 151 and thus breaking Cliff Bastin's Arsenal
league goals record. He also contributes a large number of assists -
most notably 20 in the 2002/3 season - an all-time Premiership record
THIERRY THE PLAYER
Thierry may not the best striker to ever step on a soccer pitch—most
people leave that distinction to either Pele or Maradona—but he's still
in good company. Thierry's primary strength is lightning-quick speed.
Watch him dribble through a defense and slide a ball past a diving
goaltender, and it's not hard to understand why people call him the
fastest player to ever touch a soccer ball.
The world's best strikers are usually known as pure scorers. That's not
Thierry. After five years in the English Premier League, he has yet to
put on home with his head. A striker who can't head the ball is usually
a striker without a job, but not Thierry.
Thierry is simply too fast for opponents with the ball at his feet.
Unlike others, he shifts into another gear when he receives a pass.
Thierry then combines that speed with an uncanny nose for the goal.
Enemy defenders have openly confessed to having nightmares the night
before playing against Thierry, and with good reason. Thierry is a
deadly scorer, but he's also a proven winner. Chances are he will always
find a way to beat an opponent.
Friday May 19, 2006
Henry: why I couldn't let Arsenal down
'I am staying here, at the club that I love'
Henry is ready to end his career as a Gunner.
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry today cushioned the club's European Cup
final heartbreak by confirming he will stay at the club for the rest of
his career.
The Frenchman rejected the overtures of Barcelona and finalised the
details of a new contract which will keep him at the club for another
four years.
"It's not a surprise anymore, but I'm staying here at the club that I
love," he said. "In the past year the love the fans have shown me is
more than amazing. After we lost on Wednesday I couldn't let them down.
My wife is English, London is my home town. The people I meet here
welcome me with open arms. It would be difficult to leave a country like
England, a country of passion where the stadiums are full all the time.
"I've never played in Spain and I never will. I've played in France and
Italy but this is the best country to play football and this is my last
contract. I enjoy playing away or at home, getting stick. It's the
passion I like. Here you can do your job in the right way - people here
respect the player. It's been amazing since I joined, there had been so
much speculation about me leaving - I won't lie, it crossed my mind. But
I think with my heart and it told me to stay."
Henry indicated his decision was strongly influenced by Arsenal
vice-chairman David Dein and manager Arsène Wenger. "Without these two
men, I wouldn't be talking to you now," he said. "I said to the boss
after the game on Wednesday it showed me the team has heart. They showed
me they are a team with heart and lots of quality. I know we lost but I
think you saw that quality, too. I said it [my decision] would come
before the World Cup. I said I wanted to concentrate on pegging
Tottenham back for fourth spot and then the Champions League final.
After that was done I was very quick to make up my mind. It feels like
I've just joined; like a new signing.
"I told the boss I wanted to stay. That was an important thing for me.
There are so many things about why I decided to stay. Mr Dein, Arsène,
the club, the fans, I just thought I could not let them down. I want to
play Champions League football even more after what happened on
Wednesday."
Wenger believes keeping Henry long term will act as security for the
future of his young side. "You cannot say this team will go much higher
if you lose your best player. Therefore for the progression of this team
it was vital to get this kind of response from Thierry," said Wenger.
"It is basically an insurance for the future.
"[Henry] was at the age where you could understand him going through
that state of mind. I tried just to tell him I want him to stay. On the
other hand I never tried to put any pressure on him, I wanted him to
make up his mind freely and voluntarily but I was confident that in the
end if the team can show him they can perform and compete with the best
team in Europe we can keep him."
Dein added: "Thierry has shown tremendous loyalty and he's done so for
the right reasons "He's an iconic figure. It's a very big, proud moment
for Arsenal football club."
Even Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hailed Henry's decision to stay in
the Premiership. "It is fantastic and I am very happy even though
Arsenal will be stronger with him," he declared. "English football must
be very proud to have players like Thierry Henry playing in this
country."
Games played by Thierry Henry in 2005/2006 (Goals)
07-08-2005 FA Community Shield Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal (0)
14-08-2005 English Premier Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle (1)
17-08-2005 International France 3-0 Ivory Coast (1)
21-08-2005 English Premier Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal (0)
24-08-2005 English Premier Arsenal 4-1 Fulham (2)
03-09-2005 World Cup France 3-0 Faroe Islands (0)
07-09-2005 World Cup Ireland 0-1 France (1)
18-10-2005 European Cup Sparta Prague 0-2 Arsenal (2)
22-10-2005 English Premier Arsenal 1-0 Man City (0)
02-11-2005 European Cup Arsenal 3-0 Sparta Prague (1)
05-11-2005 English Premier Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland (2)
12-11-2005 International France 0-0 Germany (0)
19-11-2005 English Premier Wigan 2-3 Arsenal (2)
22-11-2005 European Cup Thun 0-1 Arsenal (0)
26-11-2005 English Premier Arsenal 3-0 Blackburn (1)
03-12-2005 English Premier Bolton 2-0 Arsenal (0)
07-12-2005 European Cup Arsenal 0-0 Ajax (0)
10-12-2005 English Premier Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal (0)
18-12-2005 English Premier Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea (0)
26-12-2005 English Premier Charlton 0-1 Arsenal (0)
28-12-2005 English Premier Arsenal 4-0 Portsmouth (2)
31-12-2005 English Premier Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal (0)
03-01-2006 English Premier Arsenal 0-0 Man Utd (0)
14-01-2006 English Premier Arsenal 7-0 Middlesbro (3)
21-01-2006 English Premier Everton 1-0 Arsenal (0)
24-01-2006 English League Cup Arsenal 2-1 Wigan (1)
01-02-2006 English Premier Arsenal 2-3 West Ham (1)
04-02-2006 English Premier Birmingham 0-2 Arsenal (1)
11-02-2006 English Premier Arsenal 1-1 Bolton (0)
14-02-2006 English Premier Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal (0)
21-02-2006 European Cup Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal (1)
25-02-2006 English Premier Blackburn 1-0 Arsenal (0)
04-03-2006 English Premier Fulham 0-4 Arsenal (2)
08-03-2006 European Cup Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid (0)
12-03-2006 English Premier Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (2)
18-03-2006 English Premier Arsenal 3-0 Charlton (0)
28-03-2006 European Cup Arsenal 2-0 Juventus (1)
01-04-2006 English Premier Arsenal 5-0 Aston Villa (2)
05-04-2006 European Cup Juventus 0-0 Arsenal (0)
09-04-2006 English Premier Man Utd 2-0 Arsenal (0)
12-04-2006 English Premier Portsmouth 1-1 Arsenal (1)
15-04-2006 English Premier Arsenal 3-1 West Brom (0)
19-04-2006 European Cup Arsenal 1-0 Villarreal (0)
22-04-2006 English Premier Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham (1)
25-04-2006 European Cup Villarreal 0-0 Arsenal (0)
01-05-2006 English Premier Sunderland 0-3 Arsenal (1)
04-05-2006 English Premier Man City 1-3 Arsenal (0)
07-05-2006 English Premier Arsenal 4-2 Wigan (3)
Goals: 35 (27 in Premier League (top scorer), 5 in Champions League 2
with French Team and 1 in English League Cup) Yellow cards: 4 Red Cards:
0
Palmares:
FIFA World Cup (98)
Euro Cup (00)
Confederations Cup (03)
French Ligue 1 (97)
English FA Cup (02, 03, 05)
English Premier League (02, 04)
French Young Footballer of the Year (97)
French Footballer of the Year (00)
English Premier League Top Scorer (02, 04, 05, 06)
EPL Footballer of the Year (03, 04, 06)
Confederations Cup Top Scorer (03)
Confederations Cup MVP (03)
