Thierry Henry: Arsenal Legend Opens Up About Post Retirement Struggles

• Thierry Henry is one of the greatest strikers of his generation
• He enjoyed a football career that spanned 20 years at the top
• Henry retired in 2014 and admitted it was difficult to accept

Thierry Henry hung up his boots in 2014 after 20 years of playing professional football and has opened up on his struggles in the aftermath of the decision.

He began his career with AS Monaco in 1994 and after five years, moved to Juventus, where he spent a season struggling before Arsene Wenger snapped him up.

At Arsenal, he reached the height of his potential in his eight years, winning four Golden Boots and was part of the Invincibles squad that won the Premier League title unbeaten in the 2003/04 season.

He spent the final years of his career at Barcelona, New York Red Bulls, and a short loan spell at Arsenal before calling it quits in 2014, four years after his international retirement.

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Henry explains post-retirement struggles

Speaking on The Diary of a CEO Podcast, he disclosed he knew his career was over when he was in pain every morning due to an Achilles problem and how playing with his daughter finally told him it was the end.

"I wanted to run, but I couldn’t. I looked at her and said 'Hey, you won'. I couldn’t chase her. That’s when I knew I couldn’t handle the pain anymore," he said.

The 46-year-old admitted he was not braced for the reality that dawned on him after announcing his retirement and something inside him changed.

"I say it and I maintain it… You die when you stop. The athlete, the competitor dies. I can never play again in the [Premier League], I can never play for France anymore. I don’t care what you say, I can’t play football, not at that level, not competing the way I used to compete.

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"That part of me died. People don’t teach you to die. So now, you are going to face all your problems. We’re not used to dealing with a normal life. Since I was 13, I never had a normal life. I’m not complaining, I’m just saying to go back to the normal world is a shock to the system," he concluded.

The 1998 World Cup winner has had some ups and downs in coaching and is currently the France U21 head coach. Per Goal, he has overseen six games, winning four and losing two.

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Sports Brief previously reported on Fillipo Inzaghi explaining why Cristiano Ronaldo can't retire despite a disappointing 2022 World Cup campaign with Portugal.

At 38, the veteran appeared not to be at the same level anymore, but he bounced back from the setbacks and finished 2023 as the best goal-scorer with 54 goals for Al-Nassr.