Thierry Henry Opens Up on His Shock Exit from Arsenal in 2007
In a recent interview on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Thierry Henry revealed the reasons behind his shock exit from Arsenal in 2007. The French striker left London for Barcelona in a £16million deal, ending his eight-season spell at the Emirates.
According to The Daily Mail, Henry’s decision to leave Arsenal was driven by his desire to ‘compete’ rather than stay in his ‘comfort zone’. As quoted in the publication, Henry said: “It’s not always easy to have it a certain way at a club [Arsenal], and then you decide to go for various reasons that I mentioned so many times. You arrive at a club that won the Champions League, with [Samuel] Eto’o in the middle, [Lionel] Messi on the right, and Ronaldinho on the left. I’ve been told that I’m going to start on the bench by Frank Rijkaard, but I said I’m coming – I need to battle.”
Henry’s move to Barcelona was a surprise to many, given his prolific goal-scoring record at Arsenal. During his eight seasons at the club, he scored 226 goals and established himself as one of the greatest strikers in the club’s history. However, Henry was keen to take on a new challenge and experience a different style of play.
As The Daily Mail reported, Henry was going through a difficult period in his personal life at the time, having recently gone through a divorce from his first wife, Claire Merry. He married his current wife, Andrea Rajacic, in 2011, and they have three children together.
Henry’s decision to leave Arsenal did pay off, as he went on to win seven trophies at Barcelona, including two LaLiga titles and the 2008-09 Champions League. The team, which beat Manchester United 2-0 in the final, is widely considered one of the greatest of all time, with Lionel Messi on the right wing, Samuel Eto’o through the middle, and Henry on the left.
In the Daily Mail article, it was stated that Henry had to adapt to a new role on the left side, but he cemented his reputation as one of the era’s greatest forwards by lifting the Champions League trophy. This was a achievement that Arsenal failed to accomplish in 2006 when they reached the final.
Henry’s comments on his exit from Arsenal provide a fascinating insight into the mindset of a top athlete. As quoted in The Daily Mail, he said: “I look for that challenge every day of the week, that’s what I need – I’d rather compete than be in the comfort zone. To go there, to re-learn to play a certain way.”
The article in The Daily Mail also mentioned that Henry cried when he left Arsenal and was initially told he would be fourth choice at Barcelona. However, he was determined to make a success of himself and prove his doubters wrong.
In conclusion, Thierry Henry’s decision to leave Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007 was driven by his desire to take on a new challenge and compete at the highest level. As reported by The Daily Mail, his move paid off, as he went on to win numerous trophies and cement his reputation as one of the greatest forwards of his generation.
As Henry said in the interview, and as quoted by The Daily Mail: “If you arrive at a club and people welcome you, so be it – but they don’t have to welcome you. Show them that you can be here and perform. Was it difficult? Yes, it was.”
Source link
