Thierry Henry’s career trajectory took him to Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls.
Arsenal’s Thierry Henry (L) celebrates his goal against Manchester United with manager Arsene Wenger during their English Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London January 21, 2007. Reuters file photo
Former France footballer Thierry Henry undoubtedly counts among the greatest strikers that the English Premier League has ever witnessed. While having considerable skill, Henry played the game in a straightforward manner. Thierry Henry would move from his central position with reckless abandon, occasionally popping up in wide areas and other times deliberately standing offside to merely confuse defenders into allowing him more room.
His objectives, though, were what made him so unique. He was not only a brilliant player in open play, dropping deep to receive the ball and linking play with all of Arsenal’s top midfielders at the time, but he was also there ultimately to score goals, something he was adept at.
After starting his career as a left-winger, Henry emerged to be a prolific striker under the guidance of Arsene Wenger. The golden days of his career started after he donned the Arsenal kit in 1999 for the first time. A series of successful seasons made him the leading goal scorer for Arsenal.
At the time of his departure to Barcelona in 2007, Thierry Henry had scored 228 goals for the Gunners which made him the leading goal scorer in the club’s history. He was also a member of the legendary Barcelona side which went on to win the sextuple under Pep Guardiola in 2009.
Thierry Henry’s success with the French national team is also notable. Les Bleus’ all-time record goal scorer netted 51 goals and had a pivotal role in their 1998 World Cup triumph and 2000 UEFA Euro victory.
Today, on his 46th birthday, let’s take a look at the top 5 goals of the Arsenal legend:
vs Manchester United in October 2000:
The most famous rivalry of the Premier League era was between Arsenal and Manchester United since the two powerhouse teams shared the league crown for eight straight seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A competitive match between the teams during the 2000-01 season was decided by Thierry Henry, who scored the game’s lone goal in spectacular fashion at Highbury.
Vs West Ham in August 2002:
Arsenal started out as the defending champions during the 2002-03 Premier League season. In the game against West Ham at Upton Park, Joe Cole and Frederic Kanoute gave a 2-0 lead to the Hammers before Thierry Henry started Arsenal’s comeback with a spectacular finish. After receiving a pass from Patrick Vieira, the forward twisted Christian Dailly with the weight of the ball before advancing towards the goal. He cushioned the ball on his thigh as it bounced before unleashing a powerful shot that sailed into the top corner.
Vs Tottenham in November 2002:
The 2002-03 season’s North London Derby goal by Thierry Henry against Spurs was a pinnacle of his remarkable campaign. It was a solitary wonder that demonstrated Henry’s ability to win games almost entirely on his own. That magical run after collecting the ball at the midfield region is undoubtedly one of the most stunning ones in Premier League history.
Vs Liverpool in April 2004: After winning the Premier League in 2003-04, Arsenal achieved football immortality; their unbeaten team was nicknamed the ‘Invincibles.’ In a league game against Liverpool that year, the Gunners were 2-1 behind at the interval. Thierry Henry’s glorious hat-trick made it 4-2 at the final whistle. With his one-man charge for the Liverpool goal, he made fools of Didi Hamann and Jamie Carragher for his second goal of the match, which still ranks among his best while wearing an Arsenal jersey.
Vs Sparta Prague in October 2005: It was a UEFA Champions League clash when a brace from Thierry Henry helped Arsenal clinch a 2-0 victory over Sparta Prague. His first attempt was a classic Henry one, full of impudence and creativity. The Frenchman received a long pass from Kolo Toure with his heel, maneuvered around the bouncing ball, and then unleashed an elaborate shot off the outside of his right boot.
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