Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
In 2010, the New York RedBulls signed a legendary French attacker from world power Barcelona: Thierry Henry.
The man began his career in Monaco in his native France, then went on to play for Juventus, Arsenal and Barcelona before making his way to Major League Soccer. He made an impact while playing for each and every one of these teams.
At Monaco, he made a name for himself from 1995-1999 and in 1997, he began playing internationally for France. He only managed 20 goals in 105 appearances, but he did earn himself a transfer to Juventus where his presence was shorter than expected.
In the same year (199), he switched to the Premier League to play for Arsenal, where he became an absolutely superstar. In 254 appearances, he scored 174 goals. He was part of the invincible era during the 2003-2004 season, where the team did not lose a single league match.
In 2007, he moved on to play for La Liga powerhouse Barcelona. There, he scored 35 goals in 80 appearances from 2007-2010.
Now, after 78 appearances and 37 goals for New York, captain Henry is leading this MLS team to new heights in a league that is also going through the same process. His presence is bringing many new soccer fans to games home and away and is attracting many to watch from home.
Does Henry have the same effect on the game he did five years back while he was still in Europe? No. His energy level and skill on the ball has declined quite a bit. However, once in a while, he will find a way to dazzle fans and professionals alike by scoring a beautiful goal.
At the age of 35, Henry realistically has maybe 2-3 more seasons left in him to play at this level. His goal is to win at least one MLS title with N.Y. before retiring or perhaps playing for one more team. He still has some games left in him, but it all depends on how and when he wants to let his true self out onto the field.
