Arsenal legend Thierry Henry’s advice to kids: Put ego aside, be of service to the team

SINGAPORE – Ego is the enemy of what you want, wrote American author Ryan Holiday, and former Arsenal star Thierry Henry has a similar message for budding footballers.

Sacrifice individual pride for the greater good of the team, was what the former France captain told a group of kids during a fireside chat at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre on May 25.

“You are in a collective sport and it is not an individual sport, so you need to understand how you can put your ego (aside) and be at the service of the team,” the 48-year-old told kids from the Sailors’ academy and Tasek Football Academy during the Craft of Sport community football initiative hosted by UBS.

“Ego is good, very good… You need an ego, especially in whatever you’re trying to do, but always be at the service of the team.”

The rain did not put a damper on the kids’ moods as they welcomed Henry, with their parents also cheering for the Frenchman from the shelter of the gazebos on the second-level viewing deck of the Mattar Road facility.

He then sat alongside former Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, who is now UBS Global Wealth Management’s head of sports (Europe, Middle East and Africa), for the fireside chat in front of an audience which also included Football Association of Singapore president and Sailors chairman Forrest Li.

Sharing about his childhood growing up in the Les Ulis neighbourhood of Paris, Henry said his dad took him along to kick-about sessions on the streets and instilled discipline in him, telling him to work hard and train a certain way.

He first figured that football was going to be a serious part of his life when he arrived at the Clairefontaine academy, the national football centre for elite French players.

Said Henry: “When I arrived there, I saw that there were a lot of good players in and around the area, so you’re not alone, and I realised that’s not an easy thing, and competition started at 13.

“I was training on the side and I saw players like Jean-Pierre Papin, Eric Cantona and David Ginola, and you kind of like, ‘Wow, hang on a minute, that’s where I need to be’.

“It took a little while for me to arrive there, but you realise what it takes and what you need to do.”

Henry then went on to play for Monaco and Juventus, before joining Arsenal, where he won the English Premier League twice, the second time as part of the “Invincibles” who were unbeaten in the 2003-04 season.

Despite being known for his goal-scoring prowess, he sees himself as more of a team player.

Henry said: “It’s trying to do what a team needs at the time by getting involved, by understanding what I can bring to the team.

“I love to score, but I’ve said this many times – I prefer an assist more than scoring goals, because it is about sharing.”

At Arsenal, Henry also set the league record for most assists in a season (20) in 2002-03, which was matched by Kevin de Bruyne for Manchester City in the 2019-20 season.

That mark remained for 23 years, before Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes surpassed it on May 24.

Henry then went on to Barcelona, with whom he won the La Liga and Champions League, before ending his playing career with the New York Red Bulls.

The Frenchman, who was part of France’s victorious squads at the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship, also advises kids to try different playing positions, so that they can understand their teammates better.

Samir Nasir, an academy player with the Sailors Under-10 team, said it was “a dream to meet Henry because he was my favourite Arsenal player”.

Dayang Ellyana Ilham, a player from the Tasek academy, could relate with Henry’s childhood as she also grew up playing street football with her brother.

On meeting him, the 16-year-old Yuhua Secondary School student said: “I felt nervous, but at the same time, I was like, ‘Oh, wow this is like once in a lifetime where I meet a legend’.”

Young Jin Yee, co-head of UBS Global Wealth Management Asia Pacific, said: “By bringing Thierry Henry to Singapore, we are creating a meaningful opportunity for young and aspiring football players from diverse backgrounds to experience that craft first-hand.

“And to learn not just about the technical skills of football, but also the dedication and resilience needed to succeed in any pursuit.”