By Ernest Osogbue.
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, was yesterday honored with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award, at the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony in London.
Henry, is seen as one of the biggest signings in English Premier league history, and is currently a pundit with Fox Sports/Sky Sports, in the UK. After a successful football career, he delved into coaching, where he was assistant to Roberto Martinez, as the Belgian national team manager. He also had a short coaching stint at AS Monaco, in the French league, before joining Montreal CF, in the MLS. He led the French U-21 national team to a silver medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024, before his current job at Fox.
Henry starred for Arsenal between 1999 and 2007, scoring a total of 228 goals in 377 appearances. He won two EPL titles, as well as three FA cups titles, in eight successful years in North London, that saw him win four EPL golden boots, and being named in six consecutive teams of the season. He won the PFA player of the year twice, and also, the Premier league player of the season twice. He remains Arsenal’s highest ever goal scorer, after overtaking Ian Wright, who previously occupied that position, and is largely seen by many, as Arsenal’s greatest ever player.
After leaving Arsenal in 2007, Henry joined Barcelona, where he won the treble of la liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions league titles, after having won the FIFA World Cup with France in 1998.
Henry, said at the award ceremony yesterday, that he was proud of himself, his family, and his teammates, for the BBC to find him worthy of the honor. According to him, no footballer could succeed without a crop of good teammates around him. He thus joins an illustrious group of previous honorees, which includes Sir David Beckham, Billie Jean King, Sir Chris Hoy, Usain Bolt, Kenny Dalglish, Pele, and many others. The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Honors, is an annual sports award instituted by the BBC to honor outstanding performances in the world of sports.
In the citation for Henry, as he accepted the honor yesterday, the Director of Sports at the BBC, Alex Kay-Jelski said: “Thierry Henry redefined what it meant to be a modern footballer.
“From his artistry and intelligence in the Premier League to his impact on the global stage, his brilliance combined elegance with ruthless excellence.
“Thierry inspired generations of players and fans through his creativity, leadership and unmistakable love for the game. His influence extends far beyond his goals, shaping football culture and the way the sport is played and understood today.
“His legacy as one of the greatest footballers of all time makes him a truly deserving winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement award.”
