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If Thierry Henry plays his last game wearing an "Arsenal" shirt on Wednesday evening, there probably can't be a more appropriate stage for farewell than the Champions League final and a more fitting place than the "Stade de France".
Hometown
Although T.Henry has not yet won one of the most important international club football trophies, it is only a matter of time; but as all the inhabitants of the football planet already know, the Champions League trophy is that magnificent trophy that has so far eluded him, and such an opportunity as he now gets in his hometown of Paris is difficult to come by every season.
"Special feeling"
"Of course, it will be quite special because my and the club's history in the Champions League is practically the same, even though I had already reached the semifinals with the "Monaco" club," Henry said in an interview for the official UEFA Champions League magazine program. "But the club has never won the league, I have never won it, so all this will be special for everyone on the field, not just for me. It will be a special feeling to lead the "Arsenal" players into the Champions League final for the first time, I think the final always remains in people's memories - but it becomes even more special when you win. That's our goal, we want to do that. The final day is something special, but it's always better if you win."
"Paris factor"
This special feeling will be further enhanced by the "Paris factor": it is the place where he grew up, and the place where, at the age of just 20, he won the World Cup with the French national team. "I won't lie," he says. "Yes, in an ideal world you dream about it, but on the other hand, if the final were in my backyard, it would be the same, because until you manage to lift the trophy, the location doesn't matter. Of course, I will play in Paris while my family watches, but being in the Champions League final, no matter where you play it, just has to be special."
"Historic stadium"
"Paris means everything to me. I grew up near the stadium, won the World Cup in it and played some good and at the same time bad matches with the national team - lots of memories. Since we won the World Cup, the stadium has become historic. I always said that a stadium can become historic when someone wins something in it. If not, its beauty or anything else interests you only for a month, and the stadium's history is created by the teams playing in it. I have already succeeded with the national team, hope to succeed with "Arsenal" as well. It would be strange to do that with a non-French club, but it does not matter to me."
"Seeing them play is a pleasure"
"Arsenal" face favorite "Barcelona" in the final. "As for everyone in the world who loves football, seeing them play is a pleasure," says Henry. "They can play excellently and kill you at any moment during the match. I just think that both teams who have reached the final deserve to be in it. We haven't lost any matches, they haven't lost any matches either."
"He enjoys football"
If Henry himself does not become the author of a winning goal, it will most likely happen because this honor will be taken from him by Ronaldinho, and Henry does not try to hide his admiration for the amazing Brazilian. "When you have skill, abilities, speed, see the field and have anything else, such a guy can outwit you completely suddenly. He can cause damage to opponents in an instant. On the other hand, you see that he is free and enjoying his football, and when he asks for the ball, the ball comes. You can talk about Ronaldinho for a long time, but what makes him special is that people enjoy watching him play."
"Huge task"
"If you talk about "Barcelona", you talk about Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto’o, maybe Xavi will return, you can talk about the whole team. Make no mistake, people always point out Ronaldinho, but all this is not just because of Ronaldinho. We have a huge task ahead of us, but from the start of the Champions League we have already shown that we can "move mountains", so let's see if we can do it with the last one."
