By Cheta Enyoghasi
Thierry Henry has decided to step down as coach of France’s under-21 football team after leading the team to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced.
The all-time greatest striker for Premier League champions Arsenal took over as coach of the French junior team last summer and was under contract until June 2025, according to the FFF, but decided to stand down for “personal reasons”.
Earlier in July, former France international, Henry oversaw Les Bleuets’ first Olympic men’s tournament final appearance since capturing gold in Los Angeles in 1984.
His young team eventually lost 5-3 in extra time against Spain, ending a promising run that had begun poorly as Henry was forced to make multiple changes to his roster prior to the competition due to some clubs’ refusal to release their players for the Games.
Henry, in an FFF statement said: “I would like to thank the FFF and President Philippe Diallo for giving me this incredible opportunity.
“Winning an Olympic silver medal for my country will remain one of the proudest moments of my life. I’m incredibly grateful to the federation, the players, the staff and the fans for giving me this magical experience.”
Federation boss Diallo thanked the 1998 World Cup winner for “all the work he accomplished as coach of the Espoirs (under-21s) and Olympic sides”.
