Thierry Henry’s legacy sealed as BBC confirms lifetime honour
According to BBC Sport, former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement honour at the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony. The event will be held on Thursday evening and broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 19:00 GMT.
Henry, now 48, retired from professional football in 2014 following a career that spanned elite European competition and Major League Soccer. Responding to the announcement, he said football had given him everything and that being recognised in this way was something he would never take for granted.
The BBC said the award reflects Henry’s influence not only through trophies and records, but through the way he changed expectations of attacking players at the highest level.
Arsenal years that defined a generation
Henry’s most enduring legacy was built at Arsenal, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 228 goals in 377 appearances across two spells. In 2005, he surpassed Ian Wright’s long-standing record, cementing his status as a club icon.
Read also: Formula 1 set for venue return as Dutch Grand Prix drops off
During his time in English football, Henry won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. The most famous of those league successes came in the 2003,04 season, when Arsenal completed an unbeaten campaign, a feat that earned the side the nickname the Invincibles.
On an individual level, Henry won the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions and was selected for the PFA Team of the Year in six consecutive seasons. He also shares the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season, with 20.
France success and defining controversy
Born in Les Ulis near Paris, Henry was a key figure in France’s World Cup victory on home soil in 1998 and their European Championship triumph in 2000. He scored 51 goals in 123 international appearances, a national record until it was surpassed by Olivier Giroud in 2022.
However, his international career also included one of football’s most debated moments. In 2009, Henry handled the ball during a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, leading to William Gallas scoring a decisive goal that eliminated Ireland and sparked global controversy.
Read also: Barcelona boxed in over Ter Stegen as January window looms
A career beyond the pitch
After leaving Arsenal in 2007, Henry joined Barcelona and was part of the side that won the treble in 2009, claiming La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. He later played for New York Red Bulls before returning briefly to Arsenal on loan in 2012, scoring two decisive goals during that short spell.
Since retiring, Henry has worked as a television pundit for BBC Sport and transitioned into coaching. His managerial and coaching roles have included spells at Monaco, Montreal Impact and with France’s Under,21 side. He also led France’s Olympic team to a silver medal at the Paris Games in 2024.
BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay,Jelski said Henry redefined what it meant to be a modern footballer and described him as a truly deserving recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award.
Source: BBC Sport
Read also: Club discuss potential move for Lewandowski
Read also: Dembele crowned by FIFA as fans erupt over Raphinha snub
