Arsenal Legend Thierry Henry Quits As France Under-21s Head Coach
- Mulls Olympics heartbreak on home soil
- Cites ‘personal reasons’ for departure
Former French international and Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry has officially quit his position as the Head coach of the country’s Under-21 side following heartbreak suffered by the country at the 2024 Olympics.
His leaving the team comes just one week after he lost the Olympics football final at home in Paris to Spain.
The Arsenal and France icon took over France’s Under-21 side just over a year ago, signing a two-year contract with the French Football Federation (FFF) to serve as the head coach of the youth side until the summer of 2025.
In the process, he was picked to take charge of the Under-23 side for the Paris Olympics. His decision to step down comes after leading the French Olympic team to a silver medal in the football event.
However, the 47-year-old Manager’s sudden announcement on quitting his post with immediate effect has taken most pundits by surprise.
The ex-Barcelona icon revealed that the decision to step down is due to ‘personal reasons’.
He released a statement on Monday afternoon saying; “I would like to thank the FFF and President Philippe Diallo who offered me this incredible opportunity. Winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games for my country will remain one of the greatest prides 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.”
And reacting to Henry’s decision, FFF president Diallo told the media that; “We obviously regret this decision because Thierry was able to achieve the objectives 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 rigour and his love of the blue jersey. We wish him good luck for the rest of his career.”
For now, the French legend has not revealed what the future holds for him and it remains to be seen if he will return to a coaching role.
Previously, he worked as a coach at Arsenal and also enjoyed roles with Major League Soccer (MLS) side, CF Montreal and Ligue 1 club Monaco.
