Football enthusiasts know Thierry Henry as a legend of the sport; an iconic footballer who raised the bar and sets new limits with his unrivaled footballing prowess.
However, there was a different side to the legendary footballer that was off the searchlights of the media.
Speaking in the Diary of CEO Podcast, Thierry Henry laid bare his deep personal struggles, bordering on depression and mental health issues.
Although he put up a straight face to continue with his game, the 1998 World Cup winner admitted it was a surreal battle for him to overcome depression during his playing career and early into his managerial reign at Montreal Impact.
The Arsenal legend summed up his experience in an eight-word response, ”it is not easy to be a man,” paused, and then narrated further what he went through.
“That sheer pressure. My kids saved me. I am not saying that literally… I don’t know where I was going mentally… My young me never got any recognition, know love..”
He elaborated how he was severed from his family; not seeing his kids for years while he managed at Montreal before he finally made a u-turn.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward went on to reveal his challenging mental began even when he was active in his playing career.
“Throughout my career, I must have been in depression,” Henry said to the Diary of a CEO podcast. “Did I know it? No. Did I do something about it? Obviously no. But I had adapted in a certain way.
“I was lying for a very long time because society wasn’t ready to hear what I had to say.”
Henry’s narration points to the other side of the reality faced by footballers and managers, which is usually blurred off the searchlights of the media.
Away from the high-octane footballing action, fan mobs, cheers on the field, and the adrenaline of goal celebrations, footballers also struggle with mental health issues which could stem from their private dealings off the field or struggles in their career.
At the end of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford announced he would be taking a break from social media to protect his mental health and prepare for the next campaign.
Rashford’s decision followed a series of backlash that trailed his underwhelming performances for Manchester United throughout the campaign.
Also, Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez temporarily deactivated his social media handle after coming against backlash from some fans for his not-so-stellar run with the Reds late in the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
Dele Alli is another footballer who struggled with mental health issues after his career nosedived following his move to Besiktas on loan from Everton. Other top footballers, to mention but a few, have also struggled with mental issues with Henry being among some of the icons to open up on the challenge.
Thierry Henry career recap
Thierry Henry remains a soccer icon, who left lasting legacies in the game. Henry began his career with Monaco in 1994 before joining Juventus in 1999. The French footballing legend played for five clubs in a legendary career that spanned 20 years from 1994 to 2014.
His career peaked at Arsenal where he made 254 Premier League appearances, scoring 174 goals. He won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League.
After Arsenal, Henry recorded huge success at Barcelona in La Liga, winning two La Liga titles, Copa Del Rey, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Henry won 123 caps with France’s national team, scoring 51 goals. He took up a managerial role in 2015, starting with Arsenal U-19, and has had coaching spells with Belgium national team, Monaco, Montreal Impact, and France U-21. He is currently the head coach of France U-23 team.
