Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from professional football today, bringing an end to an illustrious career.
The 37-year-old, who lifted the World Cup for France in 1998 and was a huge part of greatly successful Arsenal team between 1999 and 2007, lifting two Premier League trophies and one FA cup with the Gunners. He will now join Sky Sports as a match pundit, along with teaming up with the BBC for World Cup coverage alongside Gary Lineker.
Henry is the all-time top goalscorer for Arsenal, and is beloved by the club’s London fans. He was also a part of one of the most memorable moments in the modern game, when he returned to Arsenal back in 2012 on loan and netted his 227th goal for the club against Leeds.
Watch video of that classic moment below:
Though he stated in the interview announcing his retirement that players “never leave Arsenal” and that the thought of another comeback piqued his interest, he didn’t want to tarnish his sterling career with the club by making a return, saying: “At one point, it will turn out to be a bad move. We all love the first Rocky, but I’m not too sure about the last one.”
Henry ended his career with the MLS outfit New York Red Bulls, scoring 51 goals in 122 appearances and making headlines in the sport with goals such as the one below:
Fellow footballers came out to wish Henry the best in his future beyond the sport, with Liverpool/England striker Daniel Sturridge branding him his “hero” and Gary Lineker writing: “Congratulations to Thierry Henry on a truly wonderful career. One of the great footballers of our time and a top bloke. Bonne chance.”
Photo: Getty Images
