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Henry Wins BBC Lifetime Achievement Award

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | By Admin Martin | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 4:00 AM ET

On Thursday night, Thierry Henry was honoured by the BBC with a Lifetime Achievement Award at their annual Sports Personality of the Year Ceremony.

It’s the latest accolade to celebrate the 48-year-old’s career. I don’t need to tell any Gooners what the Frenchman achieved, so I would like to share what he’s meant to me and invite readers to do the same… I always felt honoured that my childhood coincided with Arsene Wenger, yet again using his knowledge of the French market to bring a winger to North London. Convincing a World Cup winner to learn to be Arsenal’s number 1 striker remains the greatest tactical switch in our history.

The Coolness Of Henry

I, like so many youngsters, copied the Gunner wearing gloves when playing football. At the time, we all thought we looked cool, but looking back, we lacked the charisma and presence of Mr Henry. Because I was young, Henry taught me that nothing lasts forever and to appreciate what you have today because it might not be there tomorrow. As fans, we were spoiled by what we watched every week; we just didn’t know it. Only when he left did we realise we would never see anyone else like him. Not just his speed, how he would alter position, how he would cut in from the left, his passion for assisting as much as scoring…but his love for the badge.

The Value Of The Shirt

Many talents have arrived from abroad before, and since then arrived from abroad, but when Henry kissed the crest, you believed it was genuine. A dressing room of Adams, Dixon, Keown, Seaman and Parlour had taught the French connection the values of the shirt and the principles that you needed to play for ‘The Arsenal’. Henry learnt that ethos before it was his responsibility to ensure others were doing the same. He played the NLD, Chelsea and Man United fixtures like he truly was one of our own. Trust me from experience, your comforts can save your life. I didn’t realise it at the time, but when my childhood was crumbling, Arsenal was my escape, my safe place and my comfort blanket. With my world upside down, the Gunners were part of my routine that couldn’t be taken away. Henry was a massive part of that. I can understand why a section of our fanbase wants to convince itself that what they are currently watching is success. In reality, it’s an insult to everything Thierry Henry achieved. He won a World Cup. A Euros A Champions League 2 Premierships 2 La Liga 3 FA Cups 1 Copa Del Rey And captured all of our hearts Thank you, Thierry. Once a Gunner, always a Gunner. What does he mean to you? Dan Smith

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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