One of Arsenal’s best ever players, Thierry Henry will always be revered in the red and white half of north London.
The club’s record goalscorer, per the official Arsenal website, the French World Cup winner also holds the club records for Most Premier League goals (175), Most overall European goals (42) and Most UEFA Champions League goals (35).
With 228 goals in 377 games for the Gunners, he absolutely stands alone. Another Arsenal legend, Ian Wright, finds himself way back with just 185 goals.
For all of those goals, the accolades that went with them, his incredible successes with the French team, and a stint at Barcelona that saw him play alongside Lionel Messi and brought him his only Champions League trophy, Henry was depressed.
Depression is an illness that not many can understand, particularly so when the person suggesting that they are depressed seems to have it all – as in Henry’s case.
He was speaking with Steven Bartlett on his Diary of a CEO podcast, when he opened up.
“Throughout my career, and since I was born, I must have been in depression,” he said, in quotes also run by The West Australian.
“Did I know it? No. Did I do something about it? No. But I adapted to a certain way.
“[…] I was in isolation in Montreal, and not being able to see my kids for a year was tough.
“[…] Tears were coming alone. Why I don’t know, but maybe they were there for a very long time.”
It was a remarkably honest and refreshing interview from the Frenchman and will cast him in a different light for many.
If Henry’s story shows us anything it’s that everyone is struggling in some way, however they appear outwardly to others.