We look back on Henry’s past glories at Arsenal as he announces his retirement from football.
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There have been some incredible and other-worldly goals from Premier League and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry throughout his time in England.
CaughtOffside take a look at the French striker’s five best goals in red and white.
Arsenal 4-2 Liverpool
Out of the FA Cup and out of the Champions League in the space of seven days and Arsenal looked to be on the brink of total meltdown going in at the break 2-1 down against Liverpool on Good Friday.
Henry had scored before the break and when Robert Pires managed to level the score early in the second half Henry knew what he had to do.
Picking up the ball on the half way line, Henry ran directly at the Liverpool defence swaying and twisting, dummying his way through challenge after challenge. Detmaar Hamaan was the first to collapse as Henry surged past the German who fell to the Highbury turf.
A backtracking Jamier Carragher was the next in his path, the defender getting ever closer to his 18 yard box. Henry shimmied his hips one way before darting the other, the England defender completely perplexed by the Frenchman’s movement spun around before colliding with Igor Biscan. One on one with Dudek Henry slotted the ball away with customary pomp.
Henry completed his hat-trick and secured a 4-2 victory, regaining much needed momentum for his team in the league and setting them up for one of the greatest feats in English football.
Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham
One of Henry’s most defining moments, a moment that has since be iconified in statue form outside the Emirates Stadium. And how many other people can say that?
With the score still at 0-0, Henry picked the ball up just outside the penalty box in his own half. He burst down the right wing, Matthew Etherington attempted to keep in toe but was quickly brushed off and left for dust.
Henry approached the back four at speed and looked to be arching for a right footed shot before pulling the ball across himself and darting across the left of the 18 yard box when he then fired the ball into the bottom left corner.
What followed though is arguably more iconic than the goal. Henry sprinted the length of the pitch in delirium before sliding on his knees in-front of the fans of Arsenal’s baying derby rivals. Safe to say the Tottenham fans weren’t happy, as you can see in the picture above.
Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal
There wasn’t much hope for Arsenal in the Bernebeau against a Real Madrid side glittered with World Class stars whilst Arsenal’s ravaged defence included the likes of Eboue, Senderos, Toure and Flamini.
No English side had ever won in the Spanish capital against Real and the Spanish side had the better chances of the first half but it took just seconds for Henry to make his mark after the break.
Picking up the ball in the centre of the field, Henry shrugged off numerous challenges before handing off Sergio Ramos and finishing across Iker Casillas’ goal with his left boot.
Arenal 4-2 Wigan
It was meant to be a day of commemoration as Arsenal played their last match at Highbury before their move to the Emirates Stadium the following season. Yet Wigan somehow managed a 2-1 lead and Arsenal fans were left with the glum possibility of the goodbye to their 93 year old ground being tarnished with defeat.
But up stepped Henry, latching onto a Pires pass he levelled the score at 2-2 before a slack back pass set him free and Arsenal into the lead.
His hat-trick was completed from the penalty spot after which the Arsenal record-goalscorer dropped to his knees and kissed the Highbury turf goodbye.
Arsenal 1-0 Leeds
Sure, there are a plethora of matches when Henry was more dominant, fitter, more aggressive, more skilled, younger even but none that would see such a release of energy from the crowd or the player when his shot found the back of the net.
The Emirates may have actually moved several inches with the enormous inhale of breathe as Henry received a fizzing pass from Alex Song that he somehow controlled whilst waiting like a predator in his usual left channel. Before you could blink he was in and the defence were scrambling back.
Poor Leeds goalkeeper Andy Lonergan; he knew, we all knew, where Henry was placing that shot but such is the skill of the Premier League legend that it could not be stopped. Henry lent back, swung his leg and caressed the ball into the bottom right corner.Bedlam ensued.
“I played in some big games for Arsenal, Barcelona, France, Juve, Monaco… nothing will ever top that night for me,” Henry later said.