The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Thierry Henry

  • Henry to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement award

    Henry to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement award

    Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

    The 48-year-old, widely considered to be one of the Premier League’s greatest players, retired in 2014.

    He will be presented with the award at the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year today.

    “Football has given me everything and I gave it my all,” said Henry.

    “To be recognised as part of its history with this Lifetime Achievement award and to have made my mark for the fans and my team-mates is something I’ll never take for granted.”

    Henry scored 228 goals in 377 matches for Arsenal across his two spells with the Gunners, eclipsing Ian Wright to become the club’s record goal scorer in 2005.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Eight major events that shaped global sports in 2025

    He won three FA Cups and two Premier League titles during his time in England – including the 2003-04 season when Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ remained unbeaten throughout the Premier League campaign.

    The striker won the Premier League Golden Boot a record-equalling four times and was named in the PFA Team of the Year six seasons in a row.

    He holds the joint-record with Kevin de Bruyne for the most assists (20) in a single Premier League season.

    In 2024, the Lifetime Achievement award was awarded to British cycling great Sir Mark Cavendish.

    Other previous winners of the award include Billie Jean King, Pele, Sir Bobby Charlton, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Sir David Beckham, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and Sir Chris Hoy.

  • Emotional Henry targets first managerial silverware

    Emotional Henry targets first managerial silverware

    Whether France claim their first Olympic soccer title since 1984 or not, their run to the final against Spain will still be considered a success, coach Thierry Henry said on Thursday.

    Having struggled to assemble a squad after more than a dozen of his demands for players were turned down by several clubs, Henry believes the dream has already come true.

    “This event is special because (in our sport) you don’t think about finishing second or third, or winning a medal. So our story is a success — let’s make it better,” Henry said after France made sure they would at least secure silver today.

    Henry, whose coaching career got off to a sluggish start, can rely on a team who have huge motivation, citing London-born Michael Olise.

    “Let’s forget about the game and about what he can do. What matters to me is his desire to play for France. It gives me goose bumps. He could have gone to the Euros with England and he chose to play for France,” Henry said.

    All eyes have been on the former Arsenal and France player, a world and European champion with Les Bleus who could add more silverware to his trophy cabinet.

    Read Also: How corruption is stifling Nigeria’s growth, by NAL President Akinrinade

    That is not what matters most to Henry, who had an emotional moment during his  press conference.

    “Did I ever think I would be part of an Olympic team? Never. I’ll tell you why it’s different for me,” he said. “I was never with my family watching me performing. When I say performing, you understand what I mean, obviously I’m not performing on the field anymore.

    “But I never had my kids at a stadium looking at me with my team, being an ‘actor’, because when I had my kids I was almost at the end of my career. Maybe that’s what was missing,” Henry added.

    Henry is now hoping France will feel more of the Olympic vibe as they will play their first game in Paris since the tournament started.

    “We’re now realising more what is happening now that we are in Paris,” he said.

  • Fabregas leaves Chelsea to join Henry in Monaco

    Adeyinka Akintunde

     

    Cesc Fabregas has completed his move from Chelsea to join former Arsenal teammate, Thierry Henry in Monaco.

    The Spanish International leaves English football after 501 matches.

    Fabregas had on Saturday left the pitch in tears after making his final appearance for the Blues in the FA Cup win against Nottingham Forest

    He started just one league game under Maurizio Sarri this season.

    “It is a great pleasure to join AS Monaco, a new project for me,” Fabregas said in a statement

    “The group is quality with young players and a young coach. I’m here to help the team.

    “I am looking forward to starting, we have a great match to play in Marsielle on Sunday. I am very excited.”

    Reacting to his exit, the club said “There is no doubt Fabregas’s place in the Chelsea history books is assured given his achievements over the past four-and-a-half seasons.

    “Big goals and outstanding moments of quality, all backed up by the ultimate aim, which is to be part of a successful, trophy-winning team.

    “Fabregas departs having helped the club achieve great success, as well as providing our supporters with some wonderful memories.”

    Fabregas joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2014, scoring 22 goals and laid on 57 assists during his 198 appearances in West London.

  • Ligue 1 returns, as Henry starts off at Monaco

    The French Ligue 1 will resume from the international break on Friday, but Thierry Henry’s start of his reign as AS Monaco coach will be the major talking point.

    Henry who begins with a trip to Strasbourg on Saturday faces a big task to revive the club where he started his glittering playing career.

    Monaco, French champions and UEFA Champions League semi-finalists in 2017, are languishing 18th in the 20-team standings after winning one of their first nine games.

    “This club will always have a big place in my heart,” Henry told reporters on Wednesday. “So, to be able to come here and start again, it is a dream come true.

    Read Also: Henry denies Pharaohs job ready for Bordeaux

    “There is a lot of work to do, as you can imagine — but I am more than happy to be here.”

    The 41-year-old replaced Portuguese Leonardo Jardim who was sacked less than six months after leading Monaco to second place in the standings following their first league title since 2000.

    Henry was assistant coach of the Belgium team who finished third at this year’s World Cup after losing to France in the semi-finals.

    Forward Kylian Mbappe, who started his career at Monaco, will be back in action for champions Paris St Germain (PSG) at home to Amiens on Saturday.

    He scored a late penalty kick to earn France a 2-2 draw with Iceland and helped them beat Germany 2-1.

    PSG have won their first nine league games of the season and lead the standings by eight points from Lille who travel to Dijon on Saturday.

    Sixth-placed Olympique Lyonnais host Nimes on Friday and Nice entertain local rivals Olympique de Marseille, third in the standings, on Sunday.

  • Henry denies Pharaohs job ready for Bordeaux

    Former Arsenal great Thierry Henry has denied reports that he is in talks with Egypt with a view to taking over as coach of Pharaohs.

    An unnamed agent had reportedly dished out information to the effect that Henry who assisted Roberto Martínez as coach of Belgium at the World cup in Russia was interested in the job.

    The duo of Martinez and Henry led Belgium to a third place finish in Russia with the likes of Lukaku and his teammates posting impressive runs that won them commendations.

    Former Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger has however confirmed that Henry is rather interested in taking charge of Ligue 1 side Bordeaux.

    Bordeaux suspended Gustavo Poyet after the head coach described the decision to sell Gaetan Laborde to Montpellier as “a disgrace”.

    Henry, was linked with taking over at Championship club Aston Villa ahead of the 2018-19 season before their new owners opted to retain manager Steve Bruce.

    Arsenal’s record goalscorer also reportedly held talks with Egypt over the prospect of becoming their next head coach, according to an agent involved in the discussions, although Henry has since dismissed the claim.

    But former Arsenal boss Wenger says Henry, who has quit his role as a television pundit to focus on his managerial career, is keen on replacing Poyet at Bordeaux, who are in the Europa League’s play-off round.

    “Yes, he wants to do it, he is intelligent and he has the qualities,” Wenger said in an interview with Corse Matin.

    “The existential question that we always ask ourselves is whether we are ready to sacrifice our life for the coaching profession.

    “Being passionate is selfish work. When you are passionate, you steal your time from those whom you love and to whom you could have given much more.”

    As for his own career, Wenger has yet to decide whether he will seek another coaching post after leaving Arsenal at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

    “I decided not to decide,” the Frenchman added. “I was intoxicated for such a long time that I promised myself not to make any decisions before September.

    “When you have been as busy as I have been, you always fear a little emptiness. But I quickly organised myself in this new stage of my life, I do a lot of sport, here I eat with my friends.

    “I talk a lot too, I can sit for hours contemplating the horizon, I read every day.”

  • France vs Belgium: Thierry Henry in dilemma, say football fans

    Some football fans in Lafia say they foresee Thierry Henry, a French national and assistant coach of Belgian National Football team team, finding himself in a dilemma as France and Belgium lock horns Tuesday in one of the semi final encounters in the ongoing FIFA World Cup competition in Russia.

    They expressed their feelings in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Monday.

    NAN reports that Henry is a retired French footballer who was part of the victorious french team that won the World cup tournament in 1998.

    One of the fans, Olukunmi Gideon, told NAN that Henry’s situation was quite ‘dicey’ as he has a difficult decision to make on which team to support during the encounter because of his affiliation to both sides.

    Gideon said Henry’s best bet is to remain neutral and focus on his job as assistant coach, but added that pretending to be emotionless would be difficult for the former football great.

    “He will suffer emotionally; nobody prays to be in this kind of situation; he wont want to be seen supporting Belgium against his home country and he cannot be with Belgium and be openly supporting France.

    “Its a dicey one for him and I pity him; it is going to be 90 minutes of hell for him. If France wins, he cannot celebrate; it is the same if Belgium wins.

    This is not just any match; it is the semi finals of a world cup competition, where footballing countries dream of playing in. I pity him,” he said.

    Aliyu Danbaba, another football fan, wished if it were possible for Henry to stay away from the venue of the match and watch it in privacy, where he would be free to express his emotions, instead of hiding his true feelings out of respect for both countries.

    “For me, Roberto Martinez, the head coach of Belgium, should allow Henry to stay somewhere else and watch it alone because it wont be easy for him.

    “If Belgium scores and eventually win, will he (Henry) sit and not join the celebration? lets be practical here. He is a human with emotion,” he said.

    One his part, John Akpana suggested that the organisers of the World Cup, Federation de International Football Association (FIFA), should limit focus on Henry during the encounter.

    He also urged both teams and nationals of both countries, to show understanding for Henry’s precarious situation, adding that doing so will make Henry a little bit relaxed and comfortable during the match.

    “Everybody must understand that it is not Henry’s making that his home country and the team he currently works for, should meet at any point in this tournament, so everyone must be sensitive and show understanding,” he said.

  • Thierry Henry flashes tattoos at coaching conference

    Thierry Henry flashes tattoos at coaching conference

     

     

    Saturday sees a repeat of the 2002 FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea, with the two London clubs once again lining up for the showpiece event.

    One man who starred for the Gunners on that occasion 15 years ago was Thierry Henry, who saw his side win 2-0 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff thanks to goals from Ray Parlour and Fredrik Ljungberg.

    But with the final approaching at Wembley Stadium, heavily-tattooed Henry’s focus was elsewhere on Friday and Saturday as the 39-year-old spoke, and met some famous faces, at the Football Association of Wales’ National Coaches Conference 2017.

    A suited-up Henry joined the likes of Ian Rush, Mikel Arteta and Chris Coleman at the event held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport on Friday, before switching to a more casual outfit as the Frenchman addressed an audience about coaching techniques in a red Wales training top on Saturday.

    Henry recently spoke of his fear that Arsenal’s failure to ensure qualification to the Champions League this season could result in their star man Alexis Sanchez moving on in the summer.

    ‘I hope that he’s going to stay but he wants to be in the Champions League, he wants to be in a club that is competing at least and it hasn’t happened recently [at Arsenal],’ Henry told Sky Sports

    ‘I’m talking about in the Champions League and Premier League because he won the FA Cup already with Arsenal.

    ‘Who knows what’s going to happen with him? Is he going to listen to other teams that are going to come and get him?’

  • Terry confirms availability for Yobo’s testimonial

    Terry confirms availability for Yobo’s testimonial

    Chelsea captain, John Terry, is the latest player from the English Premier League (EPL) to confirm his availability for Joseph Yobo’s testimonial slated for May 27 in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    Terry confirmed his availability for the game to Yobo last weekend.

    “We are really excited by the confirmation of John Terry for the Yobo Centenary Game in Port Harcourt. He’s one big player who is very popular here in the country because of England and Chelsea’s large followership in Nigeria,” the Coordinator of the Centenary Game, Waidi Akanni, told africanFootball.com.

    Ex- French striker, Thierry Henry and England skipper Wayne Rooney are also expected along with several players from Europe.

    Also confirmed for the match are -Samuel Eto’o Fils, the Ayew Brothers, Dede and Jordan, Sulley Muntari, Djibrin Cisse and Tresor Lualua, amongst others.

  • Thierry Henry quits soccer

    Thierry Henry quits soccer

    Former Arsenal striker, Thierry Henry, has announced his decision to retire from professional football with immediate effect.

    The 37-year-old recently decided to leave New York Red Bulls, but had yet to make a final decision on his future, Goal reports.

    Henry has now made it clear that he will no longer continue his playing career and will start working as a pundit with Sky Sports instead.

    “After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football. It has been an incredible journey and I would like to thank all the fans, team mates and individuals involved with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls and of course the French National Team that have made my time in the game so special,” Goal quoted the ex- French captain as saying in a statement on his official website.

    “It is now time for a different career path and I am pleased to say that I will be returning to London and joining Sky Sports. I will hopefully share some of the insights, observations and experiences I have learnt over the years with you guys.

    “I have had some amazing memories (mostly good!) and a wonderful experience. I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed taking part. See you on the other side…”

     

  • Bale wins PFA award

    Bale wins PFA award

    Tottenham goal machine Gareth Bale has won PFA Player of the Year award.

    He joins Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo as two-time winners of the award.

    Bale, who has been absolutely explosive in front of goal thanks to a freer role under Andre Villas-Boas, has netted 22 times this season in all competitions for the London club.

    He picked the award ahead of Manchester United’s striker Robin Van Persie, Liverpool’s Luiz Suarez, Chelsea duo, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata and United’s Carrick.