Thierry Henry, making a play on the ball midfield versus Real Salt Lake. Photo by Drew Dies. Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Thierry Henry


 

Thierry Daniel Henry was born on August 17, 1977. He is a French professional football coach and former player.  If a thousand people make a list of the greatest strikers in English Premier League history, Thierry Henry is likely to appear on all of them.

Henry is not only one of the greatest Premier League strikers of all time, but also one of the best footballers of all time. His arrival in the Premier League in 1999 changed Arsenal’s fortunes for good.

Henry went into coaching after retiring. In February 2015, he began coaching Arsenal’s youth teams alongside his work as a Sky Sports pundit. In 2016, he was named an assistant coach at Belgium before taking over as head coach at Monaco in 2018. He left Monaco in January 2019 and returned to MLS less than a year later to manage the Montréal Impact. He led Montréal to the playoffs in 2020 before leaving in 2021.

1. Henry surprisingly highly rates players from fierce Premier League rivals

Thierry Henry statue outside the Emirates Stadium. Photo by Ronnie Macdonald. Wikimedia Commons

This one will undoubtedly please Manchester United fans. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Henry revealed that the best player he has played against and seen in the Premier League is none other than Paul Scholes, the legendary Manchester United midfielder.

Henry, stated that Scholes, has never received the credit he deserves, and the central midfielder was critical to Manchester United’s success during the Ferguson era. The Frenchman went on to say that if he had to pick a team, it would revolve around Scholes.

2. Thierry Henry joined Arsenal in an unconventional manner

Thierry Henry did not arrive at Arsenal in the traditional manner. The transfer occurred as a result of a chance meeting between Wenger and Henry. In an Arsenal Legends documentary, the striker revealed that he met Wenger by chance on a flight to Paris and expressed his desire to join him at Arsenal.

The Arsenal manager then got to work, and Henry joined the club in August 1999.

3. Va-va-voom was added in the Oxford Dictionary because of Thierry 

Oxford Dictionary. Photo by Philafrenzy. Wikimedia Commons

Henry has been responsible for the addition of a word to the Oxford Dictionary. This  is probably something no other footballer can claim.

Because of his Renault commercials, the player popularized the phrase “va-va-voom.” The word’s usage and popularity grew to such an extent that the Oxford Dictionary adopted the definition, which means “the quality of being exciting, vigorous, or sexually attractive.”

4. Henry channels Zouk music as a form of pre game inspiration

red no music no life signage

No music, no life signage. Photo by Simon Noh. Unsplash

Thierry doesn’t have many pre-match rituals. He only listens to high-tempo rap or Zouk music to get in the zone before a match. His favorite artists include Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Wu-Tang Clan, and Tupac.

Music has always been a big part of Henry’s pre-game routine. The player is glad that coaches and managers are more open to using it these days.

5. Thierry’s favorite song is “We are the Champions”

Henry has always stated that music was his way of meditating. However, Queen’s “We Are the Champions” was always on his playlist.

The Frenchman admitted that he would always listen to the song and say, “I’m not,” but after France won the World Cup, he began to connect with it.

6. Thierry is a fan of basketball

Thierry Henry. Photo by Web Summit. Wikimedia Commons

If you think Henry was just a big football fan, you’re mistaken. The striker has a strong dislike for the Spurs in football, for obvious reasons. He is a huge San Antonio Spurs fan in basketball. In fact, he has been seen wearing the San Antonio Spurs hat and jersey on several occasions.

Henry used to hang out with Kobe Bryant a lot. 

7. Thierry Henry opened up on mental health struggles after Arsenal exit

Arsenal youth team coach Thierry Henry after the game against Olympiacos . Photo by joshjdss. Wikimedia Commons

Thierry Henry has spoken out about the ’emotional shock’ he felt after leaving Arsenal in the summer of 2007 to join Spanish giants Barcelona. The former France international broke the hearts of Arsenal fans when he announced his departure from north London after eight historic years to play in La Liga.

The transition was difficult for Henry, who was still recovering from a long injury. Henry has spoken out about his mental health at the time to French publication L’Équipe, explaining, “When I left Arsenal for Barcelona, it took me a year to be well…” At the time of his own struggles, the two-time Premier League winner claimed that discussing mental health openly and honestly was “taboo.”

8. Henry celebrated the birth of his daughter in grand style

On July 5, 2003, Henry married English model Nicole Merry, real name Claire. The wedding took place at Highclere Castle, and the couple celebrated the birth of their first child, Téa, on May 27, 2005.

Henry dedicated his first goal after Téa’s birth to her by kissing his fingers in a “T” shape after scoring against Newcastle United.

9. Thierry is of Antillean heritage

Many people believe Henry has African ancestors because he plays for France, which colonized many African countries. This, however, is completely false. The player is of Antillean descent, which is located in the Caribbean or West Indies region.

Henry’s father is from Guadeloupe, and his mother is from Martinique; despite their remote location, both of these territories are actually part of France.

Henry, on the other hand, spent his childhood in the Paris suburbs.

10. Thierry is a foodie 

Orange chicken with fried rice. Photo by jeffreyw. Wikimedia Commons

Thierry Henry is a huge foodie who enjoys chicken, peas, rice, and his own Caribbean cuisine. In fact, while in New York, Henry expressed how much he missed his mother’s cooking and how home-cooked food was probably the best food.

Italian, Oriental, Caribbean, Spanish, and Mexican cuisines are among the Frenchman’s favorites. In an exclusive interview with Puma, Henry also revealed that, while he was not a great cook, he could make a variety of foods.