An individual that might be familiar to many modern football fans as a CBS Sports sports broadcaster, but a look back at the football history books will show you how brilliant he was as a player. Thierry Henry is one of the best strikers the Premier League has ever seen, and is arguably the greatest ever player in the history of Arsenal. His individual accolades are a testament to his magnificence as a player, which includes being named FWA Footballer of the Year award a record 3 times, a joint-record 2 time PFA Players' Player of the Year, being a  part of the PFA Team of the Year on 6 occasions. Henry was also the runner-up for both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004 respectively. In a career that had seen him play for the likes of elite clubs like Juventus, Arsenal, and Barcelona, this article will be looking at Thierry Henry's 3 year stint for the Blaugrana.

Playing style

Henry started his career as a striker, but was used on the wings during his stint at Monaco and Juventus. It was at Arsenal where he was turned into a striker again, and the decision turned out to be a masterstroke. One of the biggest highlights of Henry's playing style was his brilliant composure that saw him numerous goals in one-on-one situations. His devastating pace, dribbling, and skill were other attributes that made him one of the best at the time.

The player was also known for his ability to drift out wide to the left wing position, which saw him utilize his playmaking abilities and grab numerous assists. Henry also had a trademark finishing style, which usually saw him place the ball inside the far right corner of the goal. He was also a quality player when it came to penalties and free kicks. In short, Thierry Henry was the perfect all-round striker who was excellent at both scoring and providing goals.

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Henry's first season at Barca

Thierry Henry's transfer to Barcelona was quite a surprise at the time, with the Gunners selling him to Barca for a fee of €24 million. The main reasons Henry gave for leaving Arsenal was the departure of the their vice-president and uncertainty regarding Arsene Wenger's future.

Henry's first season at the club saw him mainly deployed on the wing, rather than him playing as the striker. This saw him unable to replicate the spectacular scoring rate he consistently showed at Arsenal. Despite all of this, Henry ended the season as Barcelona's top scorer with 19 goals and league assists as well.

Thierry Henry Barcelona Statistics

Thierry Henry played for Barcelona from 2007 to 2010. Here are some of his statistics during his time with the club:

La Liga:

• Appearances: 80

• Goals: 35

UEFA Champions League:

• Appearances: 27

• Goals: 8

Copa del Rey:

• Appearances: 10

• Goals: 4

Supercopa de España:

• Appearances: 6

• Goals: 2

FIFA Club World Cup:

• Appearances: 2

• Goals: 1

During his time at Barcelona, Henry formed a formidable attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o. The team achieved significant success, winning several domestic and international titles, including La Liga and the UEFA Champions League in the 2008-2009 season. Thierry Henry's contributions to Barcelona were crucial during this successful period for the club.

The historic season of success

Barcelona's 2008-09 season saw the appointment of Pep Guardiola as their manager. Henry was still deployed on the left wing, with Leo Messi and Samuel Eto'o being his other partners in attack. The trio went on to become quite dominant as the season progressed, as the trio combined to score over 100 goals between them that season. Henry had his best season with Barcelona, with 26 goals and 10 assists. It was one of the greatest ever season's of Henry's legendary career, as Barcelona went on to win the first ever treble in the club's history.

His final season

Thierry Henry's final season with Barcelona saw his playing-time diminish drastically, with the primary reason being the the emergence of Pedro. He only made 15 starts that season in La Liga. It was eventually announced that Henry would be leaving the club, and his final season with Barca saw him leave with yet another La Liga title in his trophy list.

The aftermath

Henry went on to join the MLS, playing for the New York Red Bulls. He also had a short loan stint back at Arsenal, which was a memorable moment for him and the fans. After 4 and a half years at the MLS, Thierry Henry finally announced his retirement. The beautiful game said farewell to one of the greatest striker's in it's history.

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