Thierry Henry is a French football legend who is considered one of the greatest strikers of all time. He is currently the coach of the France national under-21 team.
Henry is best known for his illustrious and record-breaking career at Arsenal, where he became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer and won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.
He also played for Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls, winning numerous titles and awards with each club.
He was also a key member of the French national team that won the 1998 World Cup, the 2000 UEFA European Football Championship and the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.
File
- Full name: Thierry Daniel Henry
- Date of birth: August 17, 1977
- Age: 46 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Les Ulis, France
- Nationality: French
- Occupation: Football player and manager
- Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Parents: Antoine Henry (father) and Maryse Henry (mother)
- Siblings: Willy Henry (older brother) and Dimitri Henry (half-brother)
- Spouse: Claire Merry (ex-wife) and Andrea Rajacic (wife)
- Children: Téa Henry (daughter) and Tristan Henry (son)
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $130 million
Early life and education
Thierry Henry, now 46 years old in 2023, was born on August 17, 1977 in Les Ulis, a suburb of Paris, France.
He was the second of four children born to Antoine and Maryse Henry, both from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Henry grew up in a poor and rough neighborhood where he faced racism and violence.
He found solace in football, and he started playing for a local youth club called CO Les Ulis at the age of seven. He showed great talent and potential, soon attracting the attention of scouts from bigger clubs.
He attended the prestigious INF Clairefontaine Academy and received professional training and education.
He also excelled in his studies, especially mathematics and science. He graduated from the academy in 1992 and signed his first professional contract with Monaco, a top club in France’s Ligue 1.
Personal life
Thierry Henry has been married twice and has two children. He met his first wife, Claire Merry, a British model, in 2001.
They married in 2003 and had a daughter, Téa, in 2005. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 2007 after Henry admitted to having an affair with another woman.
Henry is said to have paid Merry £10 million to settle the matter. He then began dating Andrea Rajacic, a Bosnian model, in 2008.
They married in 2014 and had a son, Tristan, in 2012. They still live together and in London, England.
Henry is also involved in many charitable and social activities. He is an ambassador for UNICEF and supports campaigns against racism, poverty and AIDS.
He has also donated money and equipment to his former youth club, CO Les Ulis, and his hometown, Les Ulis. He is an NBA fan and supports the San Antonio Spurs. He is fluent in French, English, Spanish, and Italian.
Career
Thierry Henry has had a successful and remarkable career as a player and manager. He has played for some of the best clubs in the world and has won many trophies and awards.
He has also represented his country at the highest level and has achieved glory and fame. Here is a summary of his career highlights:
- Players
- Monaco (1994-1999): Henry made his Monaco debut in 1994 at the age of 17. He played as a winger and scored his first goal in his second game. He helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title in 1997 and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 1998. He scored 28 goals in 141 appearances for the club.
- Juventus (1999): Henry moved to Juventus in 1999 for a transfer fee of £10.5 million. However, he struggled to adapt to the Italian style of play and was often used out of position. He scored just three goals in 16 appearances for the club.
- Arsenal (1999–2007, 2012): Henry joined Arsenal in 1999 for a fee of £11 million. He reunited with former Monaco manager Arsène Wenger, who converted him from a winger to a striker. Henry became a prolific and record-breaking goalscorer for the club, scoring 228 goals in 377 appearances in all competitions.
He became Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer and the fifth-highest goalscorer in Premier League history. He helped Arsenal win two Premier League titles, including one during the 2003–04 Invincibles season, and three FA Cups.
He also led Arsenal to the 2006 UEFA Champions League final, where they lost to Barcelona. He won four Golden Boots as the Premier League’s top scorer and was voted PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice and FWA Footballer of the Year three times. Arsenal also named him the club’s greatest ever player.
He left Arsenal in 2007 for a fee of £16.1 million and joined Barcelona. He returned to Arsenal on a short-term loan in 2012 and scored one goal in four games, his last for the club.
Barcelona (2007-2010): Henry moved to Barcelona in 2007 for a transfer fee of £16.1 million. He played as part of a formidable attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o. He scored 35 goals in 80 league appearances for the club.
He helped Barcelona win a historic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League in the 2008–09 season.
He also won a La Liga title and two Spanish Super Cups with the club. He left Barcelona in 2010 and joined the New York Red Bulls.
New York Red Bulls (2010-2014): Henry joined the New York Red Bulls in 2010 as a designated player. He scored 51 goals in 122 games for the club. He helped the club win the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2013.
He also became the first player to score a hat-trick at the 2012 MLS All-Star Game. He retired in 2014 after four seasons with the club.
France (1997–2010): Henry made his debut for France in 1997 at the age of 20. He scored his first goal in the third match against South Africa at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He was a member of the France team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals in the tournament.
He also helped France win the 2000 UEFA European Championship, scoring three goals and providing four assists.
He was the top scorer and best player at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, which France also won.
He was also a member of the French team that reached the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, where he assisted Zinedine Zidane’s goal in a 1–1 draw with Italy before losing on penalties.
He played his last match for France in 2010, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where France performed poorly and were eliminated in the group stage. He scored 51 goals in 123 appearances for France, becoming the country’s all-time leading goalscorer and second-most capped player.
- Manager
- Belgium (2016–2018): Henry began his managerial career as assistant coach for Belgium 2016 under Roberto Martínez. He helped Belgium reach the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where they lost to France. He left Belgium in 2018, to become head coach of Monaco.
- Monaco (2018-2019): Henry became head coach of Monaco in 2018, replacing Leonardo Jardim. He faced the daunting task of reviving the club, which was struggling in the relegation zone. He managed just four wins in 20 games and was sacked after four months due to poor results. He left Monaco in 2019, with the club in 19th place in the Ligue 1 table.
- Montreal Impact (2019-2021): Henry joined Montreal Impact in 2019 as the head coach of the MLS club. He led the club to the 2020 MLS playoffs for the first time since 2016. He also led the club to the quarterfinals of the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League, where they lost to Olimpia.
He resigned from Montreal Impact in 2021 due to family reasons. He cited the difficulty of living away from his children in London amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for his departure.
Argumentative
Thierry Henry has faced a lot of controversy and criticism during his playing and coaching career. Some of the most notable incidents include:
Handball against Ireland (2009): Henry was involved in one of the most controversial moments in football history, when he used his hand to control the ball and assist William Gallas to score the winning goal that sent France to the 2010 World Cup, in a loss to Ireland.
The incident, which the referee failed to see, sparked outrage and protests from Ireland players and fans, who felt cheated and robbed.
Henry admitted to handling the ball after the match but said it was not intentional and that he was not the referee. He also apologised to the Irish team and asked for a replay, but FIFA refused.
Racial abuse allegations (2020): Henry was accused of racially abusing his former Monaco player, Aleksandr Golovin, in 2020. Golovin claimed that Henry called him a “Russian Pig” and one “Russian bastard” during a training session in 2019.
He also said that Henry was rude and disrespectful to him and other players and was happy that Henry was sacked.
Henry denied the allegations and said he had never used racist or offensive language towards anyone. He also said he had a good relationship with Golovin and was surprised by his claims.
Resignation from Montreal Impact (2021): Henry resigned as head coach of Montreal Impact in 2021 citing family reasons.
He said he wanted to be closer to his children in London, whom he had not seen for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also said he was grateful for the opportunity and the support from the club and fans. However, some reports have suggested that Henry is unhappy with the management and direction of the club and is eyeing a return to Europe.
Some fans also expressed disappointment and frustration with Henry’s decision, as they felt he had left the club after a promising season.
Social media
- Instagram Name: @thierryhenry
- Twitter Username: @ThierryHenry
- Facebook page: Thierry Henry
Net worth
Thierry Henry has an estimated net worth of $130 million.
He earns most of his wealth from playing football, receiving lucrative contracts and sponsorships from clubs and brands.
