Thierry Henry

Lore & Background

Henry made his professional debut with Monaco in 1994 before signing for Juventus. Limited playing time and disagreements with the club's hierarchy led to him signing for Premier League club Arsenal for £11 million in 1999. Under Arsène Wenger, Henry became a prolific striker and Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with 228 goals. He won the Premier League Golden Boot a record four times, three FA Cups and two Premier League titles, most notably as a cornerstone of the unbeaten Invincible season. Henry transferred to Barcelona in 2007; in his debut season, Samuel Eto'o was the club's top scorer. In 2008–09, Henry was a key part of the club's historic treble. In 2010, he joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls and returned to Arsenal on loan from January to February 2012, before retiring in 2014. Henry had success with France, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2000, and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He became his country's record goalscorer in 2007, a record he held until 2022. After retiring, he coached Arsenal's youth teams, served as assistant coach at Belgium, became Monaco head coach in 2018, managed Montréal Impact, and from August 2023 to August 2024 served as manager of the France national under-21 team and the France Olympic team, leading the team to silver.

In Their Own Story

The Parc des Princes was electric on a rainy Tuesday night in early 2014. As Henry received a pass just outside the box, time seemed to slow for the thousands of supporters chanting his name. With a touch that defied gravity and a finish that silenced the opposition defense, he slid into the net, raising his arms not just for the goal, but as a final salute to the city that had embraced him as its own.

Reader's Guide

Henry is a two-time winner of the European Golden Shoe. He was a runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2003 and for the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. He was named the FWA Footballer of the Year a record three times, the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and made the PFA Team of the Year six consecutive times. He was included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI once and the UEFA Team of the Year five times. In 2004, Henry was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of greatest living players. He was named French Player of the Year a record five times, named in the UEFA Euro 2000 Team of the Tournament, awarded the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball and Golden Shoe, and named in the 2006 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.

Did You Know?

• Henry scored all six goals in a match at age 13, prompting Monaco scout Arnold Catalano to sign him without a trial.
• Henry was Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with 228 goals and is generally viewed as Arsenal's best ever player.
• Henry combined with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o to become the most prolific trio in Spanish league history at the time, scoring 72 goals in 2008–09.
• Henry became France's record goalscorer in 2007, a record he held until 2022.