Thierry Henry was the latest to share his opinion on the upcoming Ballon d’Or, making his stance clear during CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage this week. The Arsenal and France legend discussed the award alongside fellow analysts Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards.

Carragher said he had “six candidates” in mind for the prize: Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, Lamine Yamal, and Achraf Hakimi. But for Henry, there was only one real option — Ousmane Dembele.

“I don’t even need to talk,” Henry said, making it clear that he sees a significant gap between the PSG winger and the rest of the field. “You just have to look at the picture. We can talk about many players, but for me, he will win it”.

Dembele missed PSG’s Champions League opener against Atalanta after suffering an injury on international duty with France earlier this month. Even so, his standout season has made him the leading candidate to succeed Rodri as the world’s best player.

Dembele’s 2024-25 season by the numbers

The 2024-25 campaign was Ousmane Dembele’s best as a professional. The PSG winger scored 21 goals in Ligue 1, added eight more in the Champions League, and chipped in six across the Club World Cup, Coupe de France, and Trophee des Champions.

In total, he finished the season with 35 goals in 53 matches across all competitions. Adding his 16 assists, Dembele was directly involved in 51 goals — nearly one per game — a level of production that placed him firmly among the world’s elite.

Team success only strengthened his case. Dembele helped PSG complete a historic treble, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and — for the first time in the club’s history — the Champions League. He also played a key role in reaching the Club World Cup final, cementing his status as one of Luis Enrique’s most influential players.

In a 2014 conversation with English icon Rio Ferdinand, Henry named Messi the best player in the world, calling him “a freak” because of his extraordinary talent with the ball at his feet.

To explain that, the World Cup winner with France in 1998 recalled a moment from their training days at Barcelona. “We were playing 7 vs 7, in a space that is not that short, from halfway line to the goal line… The bosses sometimes don’t call the fouls on training. He was like, ‘What? It’s not a foul?’ He would run, go to the goalkeeper and say, ‘Give me the ball,’” Henry began.

“This is Barcelona’s training. So if he wants to go all the way, he has to pass Yaya Toure, Busquets, Puyol, Rafa Marquez,” Henry continued, and then, gesturing with his hand, showed how Messi dribbled past all of them: “1-0. I don’t know a lot of people that can do that. In my career, I didn’t see that.”

The story left Ferdinand equally impressed. “That is like school football. That’s what you would have done at school, that’s what I’ve done at school,” said the former Manchester United player. “But he’s playing world-class players.” Henry responded: “That’s my point, and he’s making us look like we’re not there.”

Years later, in his book My Autobiography, Ferdinand recalled that conversation and added more detail. “Thierry said: ‘Can Ronaldo do that?’ I said, ‘Well, I’ve never seen him do that.’ Thierry played with Zidane and Ronaldinho but they never did anything like that. He said: ‘That’s when I knew Messi was different to anyone we’ve ever seen.’”

Henry compares Messi with Ronaldo

In the same conversation, Henry explained what gives Messi an edge over Cristiano. “I respect Ronaldo a lot. I respect the amount of work he puts into the game, the amount of dedication he has. Ronaldo had to work really hard to reach the top,” said the French star. “With Leo, it seems natural.”

Thierry then elaborated on Messi’s unique qualities. “Although Leo works a lot… You see a guy that is kind of a gift. What he does is unheard of, I mean, I don’t know if we’ll see that ever again,” said the French legend. “That’s the difference, because the mentality and the way they play is the same for me. They just want to be the man at any time.”

How did Henry do playing with Messi?

Thierry Henry arrived at Barcelona in 2007 after several dominant seasons with Arsenal, where he was arguably the best player in the Premier League. In Spain, he joined a star-studded squad that included Ronaldinho, Xavi Hernandez, and Andres Iniesta. Still, Messi—only 20 years old at the time—was beginning to make his mark.

During Henry’s three seasons at Barcelona, he witnessed Messi’s rise from a supporting role alongside Ronaldinho to becoming the team’s No. 10 and a Ballon d’Or winner. In the three years they played together, Henry and Messi won seven titles, including the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League.

The striker position, in particular, boasts an impressive lineup: Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Erling Haaland, Luis Suarez, and Harry Kane, to name a few. Yet, for Thierry Henry, the greatest center-forward of this era is crystal clear: Robert Lewandowski.

The Polish star’s résumé is nearly flawless—his only notable omission being a Ballon d’Or, which he likely would have won had the award been presented in 2020. With countless titles, over 600 professional goals, and unmatched longevity, Lewandowski has cemented his place among the all-time greats.

“The best striker of the generation,” Henry declared after Lewandowski’s Champions League quarterfinal brace against Borussia Dortmund. “Obviously, and by far, considering what he’s done at Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and now at Barcelona,” the Arsenal legend continued.

“I don’t care what people say about it being easier when you play in a great team with great players,” Henry added. “We’ve seen Griezmann go to Barcelona and not be able to do it. It’s not that simple. People need to understand that“.

Henry believes Lewandowski has more to give

For Henry, Lewandowski’s story isn’t finished. “If he stays at Barcelona, plays with the energy of the younger players, and keeps finishing chances… the numbers don’t lie,” Henry emphasized.

And this season, those numbers are backing him up. Lewandowski has tallied 40 goals across all competitions, appearing in 45 matches without significant injuries. He leads the front line of what’s arguably Europe’s most lethal attacking trio for the 2024/25 campaign.

Lewandowski closing in on a Champions League record

In Barcelona’s dramatic 5-4 win over Benfica in the UEFA Champions League, Lewandowski netted two penalties, bringing him level with Lionel Messi at 18 penalty goals in the competition. The Polish forward is now just one goal shy of Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record of 19. With Barcelona still in contention, Lewandowski has a chance to surpass Ronaldo and claim the record outright, adding another accolade to his storied career.

In a 2024 interview on The Pat McAfee Show, French legend Thierry Henry shared heartfelt words about Lionel Messi‘s arrival in MLS as the best player in the world: “I mean, you have the best player in the world. You have Messi in your league. I think that it’s the first time what I mean by the world’s best is that actually he is the one that has the title, the Ballon d’Or, or the official one, FIFA The Best…he is a freak. I played with him in Barcelona, and you know he is something special.”

Thierry Henry emphasized Messi’s uniqueness by recalling his time with him at FC Barcelona and highlighted the incredible moments that defined Messi’s career, including the iconic goal he scored against Malaga. Henry previously detailed this moment in the documentary Take The Ball, Pass The Ball.

“…If he’s got the ball on his left foot here, how do you go back with that same leg and touch the ball in the air, in between the two to make sure that guy doesn’t touch it – and then almost fail but smash it into the top corner. That’s not normal.”

Thierry Henry’s impactful years at FC Barcelona

When Thierry Henry joined FC Barcelona, he was already a seasoned veteran and widely recognized as one of the greatest foreign players in Premier League history. However, Henry admitted that he had to adapt and “learn to play again” to secure his place in the team. With Lionel Messi occupying the striker role as a “false 9,” Henry demonstrated his maturity by transitioning to a winger position and embracing a new role within the squad.

While Barcelona may not have witnessed Henry at the peak of his career, his contributions were pivotal in the club’s success. He played a key role in securing Barcelona’s first and only Champions League title during his time there, as well as winning two La Liga titles, a FIFA Club World Cup, and several other honors.

Former Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi teammate reveals their special bond

Cesc Fabregas had the privilege of playing alongside both Thierry Henry at Arsenal and Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona. Reflecting on his experiences, Fabregas highlighted a unique quality that both players shared.

“Maybe when you are playing with Messi you can feel the confidence that he will make something special, but always with Thierry…I just knew we were going to win. That was the power of having Thierry there. I only ever felt this with him and Leo,” stated Cesc Fabregas on The Rest is Football podcast.

According to Cesc Fabregas, the winning mentality that defined both Henry and Messi set them apart from other players. Now the coach of Italian club Como, Fabregas emphasized that this rare mindset made all the difference during their time together on the pitch.

Kylian Mbappe found the net for Real Madrid in their 4-0 win over RB Salzburg on Matchdaty 7 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League. With his goal, the star joined another French icon, Thierry Henry, in the all-time goalscorer table with 51 units. However, Mbappe still has another countryman ahead of him: Karim Benzema.

Mbappe has scored 10th top goalscorer in the Champions League, including all phases, with 51 goals in 80 games. He tied Henry, who scored 51 goals in 112 games in the competition with Arsenal (35), Monaco (7) and Barcelona (8), as well as Filippo Inzaghi (51).

Benzema, on the other hand, scored 90 goals in 152 matches, and he is the fourth in the all-time goalscorer table of the competition behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 103 goals in 127 matches, and can still add to his tally. Messi (second) and Ronaldo (first) are the other two players with most goals in the competition.

Against Salzburg, Rodrygo scored Madrid’s first two goals in the first half. Just three minutes into the second half, Mbappe found the net after a mistake from the Salsburg’s defense, extending the advantage before Vinicius completed the thrashing with a brace (55’,77’).

This was Mbappe’s third goal in the competition this season, after also scoring against Stuttgart (3-1) in his debut, and in the victory against Atalanta (2-3) as visitors. While the French star has strong stats, he is still far away from Ronaldo and Messi.

How many goals does he need to reach Ronaldo, Messi?

Meanwhile, Ronaldo scored 141 goals with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus in 183 games. So, Mbappe still needs 90 goals to reach the Portuguese in the all-time top goalscorer table. On the other hand, Messi is second with 129 goals in 163 matches. Meaning, he needs 78 units to tie the Argentine star.

But first Mbappe will have to surpass other great players such as Raúl González (71), Ruud van Nistelrooy (60), Andriy Shevchenko (59) and Thomas Müller (55 and counting).

The goalscorer table of the 2024/25 Champions League: Who is leading?

With the new format, there have been many tight matches and big wins during the first phase so far. Barcelona’s Lewandowski leads the goalscorer table with nine units, followed by his teammate Raphinha (8). Madrid’s Vinicius Jr and Dortmund’s Guirassy shared the third place with seven units.

The Ivorian has become more relaxed and natural on camera, and his ease shows in his interviews. Recently, B/R Football asked Drogba to name a player who, despite never winning the Ballon d’Or, deserved the honor.

Without hesitation, Drogba responded emphatically: “Thierry Henry,” he stated firmly. Drogba went on to elaborate: “He deserved it like ten times. I think he was fantastic, in the Premier League and also with the [French] National Team.”

“He was exceptional, his goals in the Champions League, winning games single-handedly for his team. I mean… we’re talking about Thierry Henry. I don’t think there’s anything more to say,“ Drogba concluded.

The Ballon d’Ors that got away from Thierry Henry

Between 2000 and 2006, Thierry Henry was recognized multiple times as the year’s best player, winning Premier League and national awards in France—sometimes even outshining legends like Zinedine Zidane. Yet, he never claimed the Ballon d’Or.

During those years, players like Luis Figo, Michael Owen, Ronaldo Nazário, Pavel Nedved, Andriy Shevchenko, Ronaldinho, and Fabio Cannavaro took home the honor, but Drogba believes Henry’s talent merited the award at least once.

Notable seasons include 2001 and 2003 when Henry won the Premier League with Arsenal and led the league in scoring. Arguments could also be made for 2004 and 2005, during which Henry was Europe’s top scorer and won back-to-back Golden Boots.

Nevertheless, the Ballon d’Or eluded the exceptional French forward, who remains one of Arsenal’s all-time greats and a symbol of their golden “Invincibles” era.

During an appearance on “The Greatest Game” podcast, the Arsenal and Barcelona legend was asked to pick his ideal five-player lineup. In a surprising twist, Henry decided not to include Messi or Ronaldo in his selection.

“Pelé, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, and Michael Laudrup,” Henry revealed without hesitation, leaving out two of the most decorated players in history—Messi, with whom he won everything at Barcelona under Pep Guardiola, and Ronaldo.

Henry also explained why he opted to include Laudrup in his lineup: “I never understood why he was so underrated. When you talk about pure football class, his name should be mentioned more often.”

How Messi and Henry fared together at Barcelona

Henry and Messi shared the field at Barcelona for three years, from 2007 to 2010, during which time they formed part of one of the most dominant teams in soccer history. After Pep Guardiola took over in June 2008, the pair went on to win every major trophy available.

Together, they secured the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League, two La Liga titles (2009, 2010), the FIFA Club World Cup (2009), the Copa del Rey (2009), the UEFA Super Cup (2009), and the Spanish Super Cup (2009). Messi has since referred to that Barcelona team as the greatest of all time.

Henry defended Messi during PSG booing controversy

Not too long ago, Henry came to Messi’s defense when Paris Saint–Germain fans booed him during home games. “It’s shameful to hear boos at Parc des Princes. You can’t whistle one of the best players on the team. Messi needs to go back to Barcelona, for the love of the game,” Henry said at the time.

Cesc Fabregas has had the opportunity to play alongside some of the best soccer players in history. His experience at clubs such as Arsenal and Barcelona have allowed him to know first-hand the impact that players like Messi and Henry can have on a team.

The Spaniard, who currently serves as coach of Como 1907, stressed the importance of having players of this caliber on a team. In a recent interview for the BBC podcast, the Spaniard stated that Haaland has an aura similar to Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry, capable of changing the course of a match.

“I would struggle, in my time over the last 20 years, to find a striker of this magnitude. There are only two players that I really felt going into games, ‘Ok, these guys are going to make a difference, or they’re going to change the game, or something is going to happen even if we are losing or struggling during the game.’ One is Thierry Henry, and the second one is Lionel Messi.”

Haaland, the new soccer phenomenon

Erling Haaland has proven to be one of the most talented strikers of his generation. His goalscoring ability, physical strength, and speed make him a constant threat to any defense. With his arrival at Manchester City, Haaland has cemented his status as one of the brightest stars in world soccer.

The importance of leaders on the field

The presence of players like Messi, Henry, and now Haaland is essential for any team. These players not only contribute goals and assists but also inspire their teammates and create an atmosphere of confidence in the dressing room.

Henry has also coached in MLS with his brief time at CF Montréal, it was rumored that the 1998 World Cup winner was also in the running to take over the USMNT coaching job before the federation rehired Gregg Berhalter.

In a candid interview with Kickin’ It’ show from CBS Sports along with USMNT great Clint Dempsey and Charlie Davies, the legendary Gunners player spoke about the USMNT’s best player Christian Pulisic and that it’s time to take the kid gloves off for the winger at AC Milan.

Thierry Henry on Christian Pulisic

“As a creative player, if you don’t try to make mistakes, you cannot succeed. I can see on the national team, [Pulisic] feels like, ‘I can make mistakes.’ When you play for a big club, you touch the ball once, and it’s considered a mistake.

“The next time you touch it is 15 minutes later. People remember every time you touch the ball that you lost it. With the national team, he plays with that confidence. We were all creative players, so you have to take risks. If you feel like you can’t afford to lose the ball, then you might as well not play” Henry stated.

Pulisic, who got off to an electric start at AC Milan by scoring 2 goals in his first three games, then he had a poor outing against Inter Milan in the Milano derby which saw AC Milan manhandled 5-0.

In their Champions League opener, Milan again slept walked through a match against Newcastle United that they should have won but could not finish their chances. Pulisic came on as a second half substitute and had mixed reviews, the American took 2 shots on goal and was lively, but it was not enough to take home the three points.

Pulisic is slated to start over the weekend against Hellas Verona, a perfect opponent to get the talented American back on track.

When we talk about great footballers born overseas, many names will come to mind. Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero, and so on. Therefore, if we had to name just 11 players, it would be hard to decide which ones to leave out.

That’s why we asked ChatGPT what it had to say about it. The AI chatbot gave us the Premier League’s best XI of foreign players, including many renowned footballers. It’s important to clarify that it only considers the period between 1992 and 2021.

The Premier League’s best lineup of foreign players, via ChatGPT

We asked the chatbot to name us the best possible lineup of foreign players who set foot in the Premier League, and this was the answer:

“Choosing the Best XI of foreign players in the history of the English Premier League is a challenging task, given the many outstanding players who have graced the league over the years. However, here is one possible lineup:

Petr Cech (Czech Republic) – A highly accomplished goalkeeper who won four Premier League titles with Chelsea and was named in the PFA Team of the Year three times.

Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina) – Zabaleta was a tireless and reliable right-back for Manchester City during their title-winning campaigns, and was known for his work ethic and leadership qualities.

Vincent Kompany (Belgium) – A rock-solid defender who captained Manchester City to four Premier League titles and two FA Cup wins during his 11-year spell at the club.

Nemanja Vidic (Serbia) – An imposing center-back who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year five times.

Patrice Evra (France) – Evra was a consistent and reliable left-back for Manchester United, winning five Premier League titles and playing a key role in the club’s success.

Patrick Vieira (France) – A dominant midfielder who won three Premier League titles and three FA Cups with Arsenal. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year four times and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation.

Cesc Fabregas (Spain) – A creative midfielder who won two Premier League titles with Chelsea after a great stint with Arsenal. He also provided countless assists and scored numerous goals during his time in the league.

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast) – A powerful midfielder who won three Premier League titles with Manchester City, scoring many key goals along the way. He was named African Footballer of the Year four times.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – A prolific forward who won three Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of football.

Thierry Henry (France) – A gifted striker who won two Premier League titles and two Golden Boots with Arsenal. He scored a total of 175 goals in the league, which makes him the sixth-highest scorer of all time.

Sergio Aguero (Argentina) – A deadly finisher who scored a record-breaking 184 goals in the Premier League for Manchester City. He also helped the team win four Premier League titles and the FA Cup during his time at the club.

Of course, there are many other foreign players who have made a significant impact in the Premier League, and this lineup is by no means definitive. Nonetheless, it is a strong representation of some of the best foreign players to have graced the league over the years.”

His first year at Paris Saint-Germain was particularly disappointing, as his goal scoring production was too low for a player of his caliber. On top of that, Messi left much to be desired in the UEFA Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid.

The formerBarcelonastar turned up his level this season, having a hand in 26 goals for PSG in the Ligue 1. Even so, fans are still unhappy with Messi—especially after the UCL loss to Bayern—and continue to whistle him at the Parc des Princes. Thierry Henry, however, feels ashamed about it.

Thierry Henry embarrassed by PSG fans whistlingMessi, wants him to return to Barcelona

“It’s embarrassing to hear whistles from the Parc,” Henry told Amazon Prime Video, as quoted by The Mirror. “You can’t whistle one of the best players on the team, who has 13 goals and 13 assists this season.”

Even though his stats are better than last season, PSG fans feel unimpressed by Messi’s recent performances. With just a few months left in his contract, many wonder whether the 7x Ballon d’Or winner will stay in the French capital.

“Personally, I would like to see him finish his career at Barcelona, in Europe,” Henry added. “After that, I don’t know what he will do. Because the way he left Barcelona after everything he did… I didn’t really like it. For the love of football, he should go back to Barcelona.”

A return to Barcelona couldbe on the cards, but the Spanish club would have to figure out how to make things work financially. What uniformMessi will wear next season remains to be seen, but his relationship with PSG fans seemsto be broken.