Thierry Henry is called a football miracle: French, English, Spanish. And even American, although football is not as popular in the USA as in Europe. The list of football player's titles includes more than a dozen items. Henri owns a lot of records and prizes. The only thing that can upset an athlete is the lack of the Golden Ball.
Thierry Daniel was born near Paris, in the town of Les Ulis, in August 1977. Henri is Antilen by nationality: his father Antoine is from Guadeloupe, his mother Maris is from Martinique. Becoming sports biography Thierry was encouraged by his father, who strongly supported his son’s hobby, followed the regime and arranged for him to join various clubs. Neither the boy’s congenital foot defect, nor his parents’ divorce in 1985, nor the ridicule of his older brother Willie hindered his progress.
One day Antoine lost his job because he was late because he was taking Thierry to training. According to the first coach, Claude Chezel, the boy’s shortcomings paled in front of the ambitions and perseverance of Henri Sr. The man argued with judges and parents of other children if he believed that his favorite was being insulted.
Among the young footballer's first teams were the youth teams of Les Yulys, Palaiseau and Viry-Chatillon. In the end, Thierry ended up at the elite football center in Clairefontaine. At one of the matches, the student who scored 6 goals was noticed by Arnold Catalano, manager of the Monaco club, and invited him to the reserve team.
Football
Thierry joined Monaco at the age of 17. The “red-whites” mentor is the main character in the development of Henri’s career. The coach determined the player's position on the field, moving him from midfielders to forwards. The footballer spent 5 seasons as part of the Monegasques, led the team to victory in the national championship and won the French Cup, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, not missing out on Manchester United led by.
In 1997, bypassing the club, Henry managed to sign a contract with Real Madrid. The Madrid residents promised a monthly salary of $40 thousand and another million for the first time. However, Antoine did not say that the agreement with Monaco expires only in a year.
Of course, the deal was canceled, and FIFA also fined the daredevil. Thierry spent one season at Juventus. However, things did not work out for the “old lady”, as Marcelo Lippi returned Henry to the role of midfielder, in which the Frenchman felt uncomfortable - only 3 goals in 19 matches. The Italians, with a light heart, released what they thought was an unpromising football player to Arsenal for £10 million, where Wenger had moved to at that time.
Before leaving for foggy Albion, Thierry managed to receive the Order of the Legion of Honor for victory in home championship world championship and become the first in the national team in terms of the number of goals scored.
London's Arsenal enjoyed its heyday professional career Henri. Thanks to Wenger, the player became a key figure in the team, for whom everyone else worked. Thierry scored 226 goals for the club, becoming top scorer in his history. The team that played in the 2003/2004 season without a single defeat was recognized as the best in English Premier League since its founding. In recognition of the forward's contribution to success, Arsenal erected a monument to Henry near the home stadium and awarded him the nickname "The King". The size of the bronze statue is almost twice the height of the “original”, not to mention the weight (the striker’s parameters are 188 cm and 83 kg).
Best goals Thierry Henry at ArsenalThe decision to part with the Gunners, as Thierry admitted in an interview, was the most difficult in his life and a significant loss. "Arsenal will always be in my heart, in my mind, in my blood." The footballer was prompted to take this step by the departure of David Dein, the coach’s hesitation and uncertainty about the future. There were also those who suggested that Henri went to Spain for new trophies.
This version was partly justified. The player more than worked out the €24 million paid for him. Over the three seasons spent in Barcelona, track record Thierry gained two titles of national champion, winner of the UEFA Champions League, and the Spanish Cup and Super Cup appeared in his collection of awards. In between, Henry added the victory in the European Championship to the French team’s tally and silver medal World Cup 2006, where he lost the Golden Ball.
During qualifying match By the 2010 World Cup, Thierry had gained "fame", who was illuminated by a "divine blessing" at the 1986 tournament. Henry played with his hand in the meeting with Ireland, allowing France to reach the final stage.
One of the best football players of our time overseas. From 2010 to 2014, Henri played in top division USA and Canada, in the New York Red Bulls team. In America, the striker retained his number 14, which he wore in Europe.
Thierry Henry with the New York Red Bulls “The King” returned to London twice more: in 2012 – on a short-term loan, in 2015 – as a coach of Arsenal’s youth team.
Personal life
Thierry is the father of two children. Mother of eldest daughter Tia - ex-wife football player, model Nicole (Claire) Merry. Henri divorced his wife in 2007. According to rumors, the reason for the separation was the striker’s excessive love for carousing in the company of girls. At the trial, the woman’s interests were represented by a lawyer, the athlete turned for help to the office that defended her.
In October 2008, in Spain, Henri met another model-looking girl, Andrea Rajacic. Four years later, a son, Tristan, was born into a family not connected by official ties. To commemorate this event, Thierry got a tattoo. Henri carefully protects his personal life: “ Instagram” and “Facebook” celebrities are dedicated exclusively to football.
The former football player loves music. She helped Henri tune in to the game and relaxed him in free time. Favorite performers – , and . In America, Thierry became addicted to basketball and became friends with San Antonio Spurs defender Tony Parker. Henri's place of stay in the States was the house in which they lived, and.
In 2006 main religion for Thierry it became Islam. The athlete said that he changed his faith under the influence of his teammates and Eric Abidal.
The famous French sports columnist writing for France Football, Philippe Auclair, began writing a book about him when Henri was a Barcelona player. An essay entitled “Thierry Henry. Loneliness at the Top" is not only a story about the life and development of a great football player. The author reflected on what became the motive for committing certain actions by both the athlete and his entourage.
Thierry Henry now
A talent like Thierry Henry will not be wasted. Even before finishing his career with the New York Red Bulls, the Frenchman received a tempting offer from the Sky Sports group of sports television channels. Former football player it was proposed to be an expert of the company for 6 years and for this to receive the highest salary in the world for such a role - £ 4 million.
In addition, Henri received a special license and, at the invitation of Arsene Wenger, joined coaching staff"Arsenal". But soon Wenger confronted his colleague with a choice – football or television. Thierry chose the latter. And Roberto Martinez from the Belgian national team did not put forward any ultimatums. Henri donates the €50 thousand he receives per year from the national team to the fight against AIDS and genetic diseases.
After Wenger left at the end of the 2017/2018 season, Arsenal considered a candidate former player to the post of head coach along with Patrick Vieira and Massimiliano Allegri. A year earlier, Henry applied for the role of coach of the Wales national team. But in both cases, the owners made a decision not in favor of the Frenchman.
The director of the blockbuster “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” shot an entertaining video for the 2018 World Cup. In addition to Thierry, it also involves.
Awards
- 1997 – winner of the French Cup
- 1998 – World Football Champion
- 2000 – European champion
- 2002, 2004 – champion of England, winner of the English Super Cup
- 2009 – winner of the Spanish Cup and Super Cup, winner of the UEFA Super Cup, winner Club Championship World and Champions League
- 2009, 2010 – champion of Spain
- 2010, 2013 – winner of the Eastern Professional Conference football league USA and Canada
Thierry Henry (footballer) American team"New York Red Bulls") was born on August 17, 1977 in the small town of Les Ulis, a suburb of the French capital. The future world star spent his childhood in the slums. His mother believed that her son’s main goal was to get a good education, but his father had a different opinion and dreamed that he would do sports career. At the age of seven, the boy showed a fairly good level of play, so his dad easily got him into a local football school.
First football steps
Thierry Henry's footballer's biography began with the Palaiseau team, where he moved in 1989. A year later he moved to Vitry-Chatillon, where he performed quite successfully throughout three years. Thanks to his play, Henri attracted the attention of scouts from the famous Monaco club. In 1992, he began to take part in matches for the reserve team and eventually signed a full-fledged contract with this club. In 1994, the forward made his debut in games within the French top division. That season he appeared on the field in 18 matches, in which he was able to score three goals.
Henri's growth as a football player
Three years after this, Thierry Henry became the national champion as part of Monaco. Moreover, he was recognized as the best young player in France, with whom Real Madrid subsequently signed a contract. Later, this deal was canceled due to the recognition of its illegality, because the rights to Henri belonged entirely to Monaco. A year later, he made his debut in the most prestigious club championship, the Champions League, and for the first time received an invitation to the national team of the country.
Be that as it may, the Frenchman did not stop: at the beginning of 1999, he was acquired by the Italian grandee Juventus. Within the framework of the Italian championship, he played 16 matches, but was able to score only three goals in them. As a result of this, Thierry was put up for transfer.
Arsenal
In August 1999, Thierry Henry bought London's Arsenal. They placed great emphasis on him high hopes, since the forward was called upon to replace Nicolas Anelka, who moved to Real Madrid. In the first matches for new team he openly disappointed the fans, but in the second half of the championship the Frenchman’s play improved, which allowed him to eventually score 26 goals (the most in the team). Then Arsenal finished second in standings after Manchester United, and in the final of the UEFA Cup only in a penalty shootout it lost to Galatasaray from Istanbul. The following season, Henri again became his team's best striker.
In 2002, Arsenal won the English champion title and won the national cup. Thierry scored the most large number goals throughout the championship. In 2004, the winners of the Premier League were again the Londoners, who did not lose a single match. The striker himself received the Golden Boot with 39 goals. The next season was not so successful. In 2006, Thierry Henry was recognized as the best footballer in England and player of the year according to the English Association of Journalists.
"Barcelona"
In June 2007, the striker's unexpected transfer to the Catalan Barcelona greatly surprised the football community. Ten days after his Spanish debut, the striker scored a hat-trick in a match against Levante. In his first season with the Blaugrana, the Frenchman scored 19 goals.
At the same time, one cannot help but note the fact that here the footballer played in the position of an extreme midfielder, and not a forward, which Henri himself really did not like. In 2009, together with Barcelona, he won the national championship, the national cup and the Champions League. In July 2010, Thierry Henry became a player for the American New York Red Bulls, with whom he signed a contract for 4.5 years. He still plays as part of this team.
National team
Since 1992, he has taken part in games for the French national team in different age categories. He made his debut for the main team of the state in 1997. A year later, as part of its team, he became the winner of the World Championship. At Euro 2000, Henry also won the European champion title. The next two World Cups were not so successful for the French team. After the world championship, which took place in South Africa in 2010, the football player officially announced that he was retiring from playing for national team. In total, he played 123 games in the French national team jersey, in which he managed to score 51 goals.
Achievements
Henri is considered one of the club career he managed to win: in Monaco - the French championship and cup; at Juventus - Intertoto Cup; at Arsenal - the championship, cup and super cup of England; in Barcelona - the championship, the Spanish Cup and Super Cup, the Champions League, the club world championship; in the French national team - World and European Championships, and he also has a lot of personal awards. The only thing that, according to many experts, Thierry Henry deserved, but was never able to get, is the Ballon d'Or. best football player on the planet.
Personal life and social activities
The football player is also very famous for his social activities. In particular, he is the head of a program whose goal is to combat racism. Among other things, he can often be seen in various commercials. It's no secret that he is a big NBA fan.
In 2003, the athlete married British model Nicole Merry, who gave birth to his daughter two years later. At the same time, after the footballer’s transfer to Barcelona in 2007, information appeared in the press about the breakdown of Thierry Henry’s marriage. Accordingly, she received 10 million pounds sterling from him. The Frenchman is currently dating another model, Andrea Rajacik. The couple even has a son, but they have not yet entered into marriage.
Thierry Daniel Henry was born and raised in the suburbs of Paris. His family was not rich and by the time our hero was born - August 17, 1977 - already had one son. IN kindergarten Thierry did not go and therefore had a large number time for football. From morning to evening, the boy tirelessly rushed around the field with his peers, which his father really did not like. Thierry had to get scolded for his shabby sneakers and torn T-shirt. The older brother did not stand aside in this situation, seeing that when he saw the ball or mentioned the word “football” on television, his younger brother’s eyes lit up. Unknown to his father, Henri continued to play, and when it was time to return home, his brother met him. They tiptoed their way inside the house, where Thierry could then wash himself while his brother sewed up his clothes. It should be said that the latter was the only person who believed that Henri could become an outstanding football player.
Thierry Henry in the New York Red Bulls uniform. Photo ©AFP
One day, while making their way home, the brothers had the imprudence to get caught by their father. Thierry was saved from his father's wrath by his mother, although she also liked her son's secret football activities. A week later, his father came into his room and expressed a desire to see with his own eyes how he played. Henri's joy knew no bounds. The boy happily responded to the offer, as if his whole life depended on this match. Actually, that’s what happened. In the evening, the whole family gathered for dinner, during which a decision was made: family savings would be used to pay for Thierry’s studies at the French national youth football academy. The father let his son go with ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, there was hope that Henri would be able to achieve great heights in football. At the same time, there was a danger that it might not work out. As always in such situations, there was no guarantee.
At first, Thierry had an unusual experience at school: living away from his family was a novelty. But his adult life was beginning, and along with football classes, he was taught subjects studied by his peers in regular educational institutions. Soon Henri began to play better and better, which attracted the attention of coaches. Brilliant specialists worked with young people in France at that time. To be convinced of their fruitfulness, it is enough to recall David Trezeguet and Nicolas Anelka. By the way, Thierry studied in the same group with the latter, and they got along very quickly. To this day, Anelka and Henri are the closest friends. Thierry's success at the youth level did not take long to arrive. This seemingly frail teenager was soon noticed by Arsene Wenger, who at that time headed Monaco. Now Henri says that if this mentor had not noticed him then, it is unlikely that his career would have turned out as successfully.
Thierry Henry during the Swansea - Arsenal match. Photo ©AFP
Henri's senior debut at Monaco took place in 1994. Before that, he played for the youth team, and in one of the matches, which ended with a score of 6:0, he scored... all six goals. In its first season on professional level Henry took part in 8 matches, in which he scored three times. During his years in the Monegasque camp, he became a real idol for the fans, scoring 20 goals in 105 meetings between 1994 and 1999. In 1996, he was recognized as the best young football player in France, and in the 96/97 season, Thierry won the national title with Monaco. Perhaps in the early years, Henri's play at the club was not so effective. However, the coach's trust helped him become a real professional. It is worth noting that when Thierry was 19, Real Madrid expressed great interest in his services. But Wenger flatly refused to sell his pupil, citing the fact that, having found himself in such a stellar ensemble, Thierry could simply “burn out”, as often happens with young talents.
But things were going well for Henri in the national team from the very beginning. First of all, the coaches of the youth team turned their attention to him, where Thierry scored a goal in the first match. In most fights, Henry's attacking partner was none other than Anelka. At the same time, there was a shortage of sharp forwards in the main French team. In the end, Aimé Jacquet, who was in charge of the “tricolor” at that time, decided, along with Christophe Dugarry and Stéphane Guivarche, to include in the application for final part World Cup of young Trezeguet and Henri. In front of the whole world, Thierry did not lose face in the opening fights group stage- against the national teams of South Africa and Saudi Arabia - without leaving the field without a goal, and at the end of the tournament he became the best sniper of the French team with 3 goals. But in the decisive games, Jacquet chose to bet on the more experienced Guivarche. And the decisive battle against the Brazilians, won by the “tricolors” with a score of 3:0, Thierry watched from the bench. However, his finest hour was ahead.
In 1999, due to disagreements with the management of Monaco, Jean Tigana, who also played a very important role in Henry's development, left the post of head coach of the club. important role. Following this, Thierry is sold. He himself did not at all prevent the transition to Juventus, since it was tempting to try his hand at Italy. But things didn’t work out for him in Turin. The "old lady's" mentors did not reveal his true identity - to be a striker, and assigned him to the left flank of midfield. The experience was not a success: after playing in 16 matches, he scored 3 goals. Next, Henri considered it wise to change the situation. The initiator of his transfer to London Arsenal was, of course, Arsene Wenger. This interesting specialist, having left Monaco at the beginning of the 94/95 season, worked for two years in Japan - with Nagoya Grampus, with whom he won the J-League twice. After this, he decides to return to Europe, signing a contract with Arsenal.
One after another, Wenger invites several players from Monaco to the team at once, in particular Emmanuel Petit and Gilles Grimandi. After the first exploratory season, spent studying the specifics of football in Britain, Arsene managed an impressive double - in 1998, the Gunners celebrated winning both the Premier League and the FA Cup. In the future, things don’t work out so well. In addition, after the end of the 98/99 championship, the so-called star fever Anelka becomes infected. Wenger acted extremely wisely in this situation. Since, having made a big name, Nicolas raised his quotation to unimaginable heights, the mentor finds an exhaustive way out of the situation. Anelka is sold to Real Madrid, and Arsenal earns £22 million, plus the famous Croatian forward Davor Suker. However, the best sniper of the World Cup in France arrives on the islands not in the best functional readiness.
The position of attack leader thus remains vacant. Tell me, who was better suited to fill the vacancy than Henri? There simply was no more suitable candidate. Moreover, they had to fork out only 10 million pounds - not such a huge amount in terms of modern times. From this moment a new stage begins in Henri's biography. Of course, it took him several months to adapt to England. However, in the middle of the season, Thierry played out and by the beginning of Euro 2000 he had reserved for himself the role of a striker for the French national team. Already at the age of 23, Henri had not only the title of World Cup winner, but also the title of European champion. Could his father have dreamed about this when he sent him to football school?
Best of the day
Thierry recently said: "I am very grateful to Arsene for what he has done for me. I will try to repay him with my goals for Arsenal, which I love very much." Well, Henri keeps his word regularly. So what sets Thierry apart from other strikers? First of all, good technique, developed reaction and high speed. Another trump card of Henri is his natural abilities. If in his youth Thierry watched with admiration the battles on the French fields, now everyone admires him. And all we can do is exclaim: “Bravo, Henri!”
The agent of the Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has denied a newspaper report that the Frenchman has already agreed on a three-year contract with the Catalan club.
Earlier, France Football magazine reported that the French national team player met with representatives of the Spanish club last week.
"There was no meeting. This is complete nonsense," said Jeff Weston, who represents Henri's rights. “There is no doubt that he will spend his next season at Arsenal.
The 29-year-old striker signed a four-year contract last year but his future has been the subject of speculation after Henry said he was pleased by Milan's interest.
France Football claimed that Henry's agent had agreed a three-year contract worth £6.8 million a year, with the option of a further season.
“This is all media speculation, it happened last year and the year before,” Weston added.
