Arsenal legend Thierry Henry became visibly emotional as he shared insights into his struggles with depression, childhood trauma, and the impact of his father on his career during a recent interview.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in the modern era, Henry achieved remarkable success, including winning the World Cup and European Championship with France, as well as securing numerous titles with Arsenal and Barcelona in competitions such as the Premier League, La Liga, FA Cup, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.
Despite his illustrious career, Henry revealed that personal challenges were a constant companion on his journey to football greatness. In a candid conversation on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, Henry spoke about feeling “programmed” from a young age to pursue a professional football career. The intense drive and pressure associated with this pursuit took a considerable toll on his mental well-being.
During the emotionally charged interview, Henry shared that his emotional spectrum was strongly influenced by external factors, and he often struggled to identify the sources of his happiness or sadness. Expressing feelings beyond rage and anger proved challenging for him. He acknowledged the difficulty in opening up about his emotions, stating, “I wouldn’t say [I was dead], but expressing my feelings was very difficult. Apart from rage and anger. Rage and anger are easy. It was something I didn’t do. I’m getting upset so it gives me fuel, always.”
This raw and revealing conversation provided a glimpse into the human side of a football legend, shedding light on the internal battles that accompanied Henry’s remarkable success on the pitch.
Talking about himself and the impact from his dad, he continued: “The human being was missing almost everything. I left my house when I was 13, people don’t realise that. You’re already dealing with the pressure of succeeding.”
“You prefer to be the athlete than the human being. Then the athlete is easier, you know what to do. Well, I knew what to do. Even if it was painful or whatever, I knew what to do. It’s easy for a little while when you have your career.
“I think you remember as an athlete and I say it and I maintain it…you die when you stop. The athlete, the competitor, dies. I can never play again in the Prem, 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. That part of me died. People don’t teach you to die. So now, you are going to face all your problems.
“Because you could put them on the side when you’re playing games. Because you have other things that will cover that. But once everything stops…we’re not used to being at home. 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.”
Henry admitted he’s still trying to find that relationship with his dad after football, he continued: “The hardest thing I had to do was please my dad, the rest was nothing for me. Not disrespecting anything else that happened in my career, but that was so easy compared to what I had to do in order to please the old man. My young self is still waiting for that approval. I’m trying to connect with the old man.”
Despite his success-laden career, Henry revealed he was never too sure whether he enjoyed his playing days, he said: “I don’t know. I never asked myself that question. I couldn’t care less. I just couldn’t care less.”
He added: “When I arrived at the end of my career, I realised something that was big, something that was missing. I always thought that titles mattered. And yes, they do, but I always thought they were the only thing that mattered. But it’s not true. It’s how you transcend and what you can transmit and how you can inspire people that matters. And I never thought about it when I was playing because I didn’t have those tools.”
