Because of his versatility as a winger and striker during his playing career, Thierry Henry also dabbled in management. He is a former professional footballer from France who now works as the Belgium national team’s assistant manager. Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona, Arsenal, and the New York Red Bulls were among Henry’s many top-flight clubs. During his long football career, he spent eight years at Arsenal, where he set the club’s all-time goalscoring record. In June 1997, he made his international debut for France, and he helped the country win the 1998 World Cup. Following his outstanding performance in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, Henry was awarded both the Adidas Golden Ball and the Adidas Golden Shoe. He is the eighth-richest player in the Premier League.

Thierry Henry’s Childhood and Early Career

Thierry Henry was born Thierry Daniel Henry on August 17, 1977, in Les Ulis, a small suburb of Paris, to Antoine Henry and Marylese Henry. He grew up in a ghetto-like neighborhood for the majority of his childhood. He shared a small apartment with his family, and his father encouraged him to play sports and devote most of his energy to athletics, despite the challenging living conditions.

Henry used to play soccer in local tournaments as a kid and showed great promise, prompting Claude Chezelle to sign him to the local club CO Les Ulis when he was just seven years old. He started playing for Viry-Under-15 Chatillon’s team and was a two-year member of the club.

Following his parents’ divorce, Henry and his mother moved to Orsay to attend Alexander Fleming School, where he focused on soccer. At the age of 14, he was selected for the Clairefontaine Academy of the French Football Federation. He is of French nationality and comes from a mixed ethnic background, as his mother is from Martinique and his father is from the island of Guadeloupe.

The Professional Career of Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry signed an apprentice contract with Arsene Wenger’s team Monaco as a youth player while still at the academy. Following that, on August 31, 1994, he made his professional debut for the club in a 2–0 loss to Nice. In the 1996-97 season, his outstanding performance helped the team win the club Ligue 1 title.

Henry was also named the French Young Footballer of the Year in 1996 under Wenger’s tutelage and training. In 105 appearances for the club, the young winger scored 20 goals. He left the club at the beginning of 1999 and signed a £10.5 million contract with the Italian club Juventus.

Henry was on the move again after seven months with the club, signing a £10.5 million contract with English professional football club Arsenal, reuniting with his former manager Arsène Wenge. Despite the fact that his main character is a left-winger, he began his career as a striker for the club and went on to become one of the most lethal strikers in the English Premier League. He also became the team’s leading goalscorer after his first and second seasons at the club.

The striker also helped the team reach the FA Cup final, where they were defeated 2-1 by Liverpool. He was the league’s top goalscorer with 24 goals in all league matches during the 2001/2002 season. He earned his first silverware with the club by assisting them in winning the Barclays Premier League and the FA Cup.

Henry had another productive season in 2002-03, scoring 32 goals and leading his club to another FA Cup victory, earning him the man-of-the-match award in the Finals. He was also named FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Players’ Player of the Year. In 2004, he was the Premier League’s top scorer with 30 goals and led his club to the title without losing a single match.

Henry came in second place for the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2004. Henry’s remarkable personal achievements continued in the 2005-06 season when he was named the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, breaking Ian Wright’s 185-goal record. During the season, he also helped his team win the FA Cup, but due to a knee injury, he was unable to play in the final against Manchester United.

Henry scored his 200th goal for his club in a win over Birmingham in 2006, and he was also named Footballer of the Year for the third time. On June 25, 2007, he was transferred to Spanish giant FC Barcelona for a fee of €24 million. He signed a contract worth €6.8 million per season, according to reports. In a 3-0 Champions League victory over Olympique Lyonnais, he scored his first goal for the club.

Henry assisted the team in winning six trophies in 2009, including the Primera Division, Champions League, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. In 80 appearances for the club, he scored 35 goals. The following year, he signed a multi-year contract with Major League Soccer’s New York Bulls, scoring the club’s first goal in a 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes.

On January 6, 2012, Henry returned to his old club Arsenal on a two-month loan deal during the MLS off-season. In the same year, he returned to the Red Bulls, scoring his first MLS hat-trick in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Impact. He also became the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer.

Henry will not play for the Red Bulls any longer, it was announced on December 1, 2014.

Career Opportunities on the Global Stage

In June 1997, Thierry Henry made his international debut for France, competing in the FIFA World Youth Championship. In a 2–1 win over South Africa on October 11, 1997, he made his senior debut. He was a member of the France national team that won the FIFA World Cup in 1998, the UEFA European Championship in 2000, and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2003.

After the 2010 World Cup, Henry announced his retirement from the national team on December 16, 2014, ending his international career with 51 goals in over 125 appearances. Following his retirement, he announced that he would work as a pundit for Sky Sports.

Other Work And A Managerial Career

Thierry Henry began working as an assistant manager for the Belgian national team, alongside head coach Roberto Martnez and fellow assistant Graeme Jones, in addition to his long football career.

Henry also starred in the 2015 box office hit Entourage, which grossed $49.3 million worldwide against a $39 million production budget.

Henry is also a member of the UNICEF-FIFA Squad and a vocal opponent of racism in football.

Achievements And Awards

Thierry Henry has received numerous awards and accolades during his illustrious football career. He finished second in the FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004. Henry also won back-to-back PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards during those two seasons. He is the first footballer to win the FWA Footballer of the Year award three times in his career (2003, 2004, 2006).

Henry has also won the European Golden Boot twice, the ESPY Award for Best MLS Player, and the MLS Player of the Month.

Thierry Henry’s Salary And Net Worth

Thierry Henry has amassed a sizable fortune from his successful football career, with a celebrity net worth of around $60 million and a net worth of $63 million according to TheRichest.

Following his move to MLS in 2010, Henry was said to have purchased a $14.9 million apartment in New York City. He demolished his $9.5 million London home in February 2012 to make room for a new 40-foot fish tank. The fish tank, which is 40 feet long and 40 feet wide, is reportedly worth $400,000.

Henry also owns an Audi Q7, which costs between $49,900 and $53,900. He has made a significant amount of money from his endorsement deals with a number of well-known brands, including Renault, Nike, Reebok, Puma, Gillette, Pepsi, and Beats, throughout his football career.

In 2007, Henry signed a four-year contract with Barcelona F.C. for nearly £7 million per season after signing a £11 million contract with Premier League club Arsenal. He became the highest-paid player in the MLS while playing for his last club, the New York Red Bulls, with a base salary of $5 million.

The Personal Life of Thierry Henry

On July 5, 2003, Thierry Henry married English model Nicole Merry, real name Claire. The couple chose Highclere Castle for their wedding ceremony. Nicole gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Tea Henry, on May 27, 2005, and they became parents for the first time.

Henry dedicated a goal he scored against Newcastle United to his daughter’s arrival by forming a ‘T’ shape while celebrating his goal. Despite their loving relationship, Henry and his wife Nicole announced that they were divorcing; the decree nisi was granted at the end of 2007. In December 2008, they finalized their divorce after Henry allegedly paid £8 million as a divorce settlement.

Following their divorce, Henry began dating Andrea Rajacic, a Bosnian model. The couple has been together for over a decade and there are no rumors of a break-up. Tristan Henry, the couple’s son, was born on August 23, 2012. Henry admires Allen Iverson, a former professional basketball player from the United States.