Henry took charge of the France Under-21 team just over a year ago, signing a two-year contract with the French Football Federation (FFF) to serve as youth team coach until the summer of 2025. However, the Arsenal and France icon has now revealed he will be leaving the role with immediate effect.
The 47-year-old was chosen to take charge of the Under-23s team this summer for the Paris Olympics, and Henry’s decision to leave the role comes just over a week after he led the French Olympic football team to a silver medal as they lost the final on home soil in Paris to Spain. The Arsenal and Barcelona icon has now revealed he is stepping down for “personal reasons”.
Henry throws in the towel
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Henry said:
“I would like to thank the FFF and President Philippe Diallo who gave me this incredible opportunity. Winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games for my country will remain one of the proudest moments of my life. I am incredibly grateful to the Federation, the players, the staff and the supporters who allowed me to live a magical experience.”
Speaking to the media following Henry’s decision, the FFF president said: “We obviously regret this decision because Thierry was able to achieve the goals that had been set for him by winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, 40 years after the Olympic medal in Los Angeles. Having followed him throughout this campaign, I was able to discover his great professionalism, his rigor and his love of the blue jersey. We wish him good luck for the rest of his career.”
