Thierry Henry is unquestionably on the top of the list of the most thrilling football players in history. Many people consider the Frenchman to be the best player to have ever played in the Premier League, and those who witnessed his brilliance still recall his amazing skill.
Who does Henry believe is the most exciting player to watch in the contemporary game, though, given that he has been retired for more than ten years and that similarly talented and elegant artists like Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho are now fading memories?
In an interview with SPORTbible, he was asked that same question, and the answer came to him in a matter of seconds. A winger from one of his previous teams was his response, but it wasn’t Arsenal’s brilliant Englishman Bukayo Saka. Henry, however, responded without hesitation:
Yamal Lamine. I’ll explain why. Furthermore, it has nothing to do with what you anticipate me saying.
Theirry Henry on Lamine Yamal’s ‘Maturity’
He pinpointed the exact moment he recognised the winger is ‘different
In addition to calling the young wonder the player he most loves to watch play, Henry also asserted that he could pinpoint the precise moment he realised Yamal was a unique talent. The pundit-turned-forward remembered:
His maturity is the reason. Let me clarify. I know exactly what I’m thinking. In the semi-final of Euro 2024, Spain defeats France 2-1. He controls the ball on the outside of his foot after Unai Simon throws it to him. He can face [Theo] Hernandez one-on-one after looking up.
“You were young at the time. A goal has been scored by you. If he had taken the ball and played one-on-one, who would have spoken up? It was around minute sixty. “Calm down,” he remarked to everyone after touching the ball with the outside of his foot, setting it down, and passing it back.”
in just 17 years old, Yamal helped Spain win international silverware, making him one of the top players in Euro 2024. When Henry realised there was something ‘different’ about Barcelona’s wonderkid, he recalled that instant of peace and poise:
To be honest. ‘This guy is too talented,’ I recall. He’s at a higher level. Please be aware of the level I’m referring to. Yes, he frequently does nutmegs and stepovers. But it’s another matter entirely for him to consider that in a game of that size.”
Henry: ‘I Miss Instinct Players’
Yamal epitomises exactly that
Rather, most of the world’s top wide players are taught to prioritise possession above creativity. A player is advised to turn back or inside to pick out a pass to a supporting teammate rather than risk losing the ball in a frantic dribble.
Henry says he’misses’ instinct players that can do amazing things on a whim, therefore he may not be a fan of this type of attacker. Only a few players today exhibit this skill and mindset: Yamal, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Cole Palmer. Henry stated:
“I miss instinct players to watch. I’m not arguing that the game is incorrect or correct; I’m simply missing the player that would try to dribble past everyone or shot from forty yards out.
‘Don’t lose it!’ is what a manager will say most of the time. As a striker, I like dribbling. Don’t get me wrong, I like your players, but I miss those who take the ball and keep me on the edge of my seat.”
