Today Thierry Henry celebrates his 40th birthday. A name that needs no introduction, Henry has won it all. His journey began in France when a 17 year old Henry climbed his way up the ranks of Monaco which earned him a call-up to the France’s 1998 World Cup winning national squad. After an unfruitful spell in Juventus following the World Cup, the Frenchman moved to Arsenal where he truly established himself as one of the greatest. He thrived under Arsene Wenger who transformed him from a winger to one of the most clinical strikers in the history of the Premier League.
Henry was the central character of ‘The Invincibles’, the famous Arsenal side who finished 2003-04 seasons unbeaten, a feat which has not been achieved by any English team since. He has won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two Community Shields. He went on to achieve more success in the later years of his career with Barcelona as he won two La Liga trophies and also the UEFA Champions League in 2009 before eventually finishing his career in the MLS. Henry’s individual honors are equally impressive. In his 8 seasons with Arsenal, Henry won the golden boot for a record four times. He has also been a Ballon d’Or recipient and a FIFA World Player of the Year runner-up.
In 2012, he made a brief return to Arsenal where he scored an emotional win for his beloved club immortalizing himself in the club’s history book. A statue in Henry’s honour was erected in front of the Emirates Stadium. Although he hung up his boots 3 years ago, he still remains one of the most skillful and decorated players to grace the beautiful game and Arsenal’s all-time leading scorer.
