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A good tone! We know that Thierry Henry has cardinal values as a high-level athlete but, above all, as a man. The Nine8 world champion proved it on Friday 9 August after the defeat of the Bleuets in the final of the men’s Olympic football tournament.
Despite the great sadness of his players defeated by Spain at the end of an absolutely crazy match, which ended with a 5-3 in extra time for the Spaniards, the French coach gathered his protégés in the center of the area and first congratulated them on the adventure they had undertaken, almost unforeseen as a task of building a competitive team. in the face of the refusal of the clubs to release those decided for the Games, it was immense. Finally, the former Blues and Arsenal full-back managed to unite an organisation around him to bring him to the gates of a golden dream 40 years later. . .
This group, dejected at the final whistle, was encouraged to come and greet the public in the Parc des Princes. Thank this 12th man for his unwavering support at this birthday party and especially throughout the festival with a fervor like no other during the fortnight from the Groupama stadium in Lyon to the Parc des Princes in Paris via the incandescent Vélodrome de Marseilles. The Bleuets earned a standing ovation from their fans while Thierry Henry greeted the French attendees as a gesture of popularity and eternal respect.
“Something magical”
In the post-match press conference, together with his captain, the exemplary Lyonnais Alexandre Lacazette, Thierry Henry, known for being a competitor and a perfectionist, declared himself “satisfied” with the adventure lived: “In fact, it was something magical. We are medalists. The story is still extraordinary, he admitted. I had my Marseillaise, the fans sang it. It was a wonderful pride. It wasn’t a big deal, we can’t say that the team didn’t fight from the first to the last minute. It didn’t end well but there was emotion, a wonderful medal and a smart trip,” he sums up.
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“He will have to stay”
Thierry Henry is a living legend of French football. His popularity is enormous. We saw it when he announced his call-up before the start of the final. The love that French fans have for him is intact. Some even worship him. They applaud him loudly.
Today, they hope that their experience as a coach does not prevent their arrival. He, who has known everything in the blue team, had a brief experience on the Monegasque bench, where he had already worn the colors as a player before writing the legend of him at Arsenal. He has shown that he has what it takes to be a coach. The Belgians are not surprised. They have already been able to take advantage of his abilities as an assistant coach of their national team in 2016 and 2021.
At Les Bleuets, the players have a deep respect for him, what he embodies and what he inspires. “The coach told us that we had to realize that we were doing something beautiful and wonderful. He’s given us a lot since he’s been here, it’s wonderful to have a coach nearby,” Montpellier midfielder Joris Cotard confirms to L’Équipe newspaper. “Obviously I would love for him to stay. We saw that other people encouraged us even more when they saw that he was the coach, it’s very important.
“General” Lacazette also praises him: “I have to thank him for trusting me and allowing me to wear this blue shirt again. And he added: “I can only praise the fact that he stays. He has many qualities. For me, it will surely have to stay. »
The Deschamps succession?
Thierry Henry was appointed a year ago, succeeding Sylvain Ripoll. He has a contract until 2025. Philippe Diallo has recently expressed his confidence in him. But does Thierry Henry need to continue? Some now see him as the ideal candidate to succeed Didier Deschamps, who plans to return to the other legend of French football, Zinedine Zidane. Philippe Diallo has already had the opportunity to make himself explicit on the subject, considering that it is not mandatory to “cut corners. »
READ ALSO. Football. Thierry Henry at the head of Les Bleus “Don’t skimp” on Philippe Diallo
At 46 years old, “Titi” Henry has not revealed anything about his intentions after this beautiful silver medal won at the Paris Olympic Games. He was evidently concerned about his long career without delay after the game, but with wonderful humor and skill he dodged the question: “My long career? It’s going to the sun as a family. »A pirouette in reaction like a confused movement of legs of which he had the secret. Meanwhile, he has once again written one of the most beautiful pages of French football.