When Barca Star Left Out Messi and Zidane When Naming His Greatest Teammate
- Thierry Henry once opened up on the best he played alongside, and it wasn’t Lionel Messi or Zinedine Zidane
- He picked someone he trained with daily for seven years, praising his intelligence, consistency, and competitiveness
- According to Henry, this player always made the right decisions and treated training with unmatched intensity
Thierry Henry once named the best player he’s ever played alongside - and surprisingly, it wasn’t Lionel Messi or Zinedine Zidane.
Having featured for top clubs like Juventus, Arsenal, and Barcelona, as well as being part of France’s golden generation, Henry has played with some of the greatest talents the game has ever seen.
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His former teammates include iconic names like Ronaldinho, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Patrick Vieira, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Samuel Eto’o - not to mention Messi and Zidane, two players often cited among the best of all time.
Henry names best former teammate
However, when asked to name the finest footballer he played with, Henry chose Dennis Bergkamp.
The pair formed a legendary partnership at Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups together.
Speaking during a Facebook Q&A in 2015, Henry explained via Sportbible:
“Because of longevity, and because I saw him every day in training for seven years, Dennis Bergkamp. Why? Because he was always doing what the game was asking him to do. He could score, he could pass, and he always waited for the right moment. He respected the game in every sense.”
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Henry went on to describe how Bergkamp’s training intensity left a lasting impression:
“The guy didn’t want to lose the ball - he would foul you, get in your face, fight to be first in every run.”
Although Bergkamp was his top choice, Henry still gave special praise to Messi and Zidane.
“Then I have to mention Lionel Messi. Leo is something else. I think people don’t realise what he’s doing. Him, Zizou [Zidane] - what they do isn’t humanly possible.”
Despite having played with some of football’s biggest legends, it was Bergkamp’s all-round game and professionalism that made him Henry’s number one.
Henry picks between Haaland and Mbappe
Meanwhile, Henry has weighed in on the ongoing debate between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
The Arsenal legend made his stance clear while discussing the topic alongside Micah Richards, Jamie Carragher, and presenter Kate Scott ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Manchester City.
When the conversation turned to Haaland, Henry acknowledged the Norwegian’s incredible goal-scoring record but suggested that doubts remain about his overall game.
“They [Manchester City] won the treble with him,” Henry said on CBS. “You have to give him that respect, but the jury is still out.”
Henry names Real Madrid's bogey side in UCL
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Henry once listed a top European side that he believed had the potential stop Real Madrid from securing the Champions League title in 2024/2025.
The French legend is no stranger to Europe’s elite competition, having played 112 times across spells with Monaco, Arsenal, and Barcelona, with Los Blancos a regular threat in the tourney.
Source: AFP
