New York honours Thierry Henry with street naming before 2026 FIFA World Cup
New York, June 12
A street in New York City was named after legendary French and Arsenal F.C. footballer Thierry Henry before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ESPN reported.
The French football icon won the FIFA World Cup back in 1998, and now has 50th Street and Sixth Avenue named as the "Thierry Henry Way".
During his career from 1994 to 2012, Henry represented some of the biggest clubs in the world, such as Monaco (1994-1999), Juventus (1999), Arsenal (1999-2007), Barcelona (2007-2010) and then New York Red Bulls as a part of the Major League Soccer (MLS) from 2010 to 2014, scoring 52 goals in 135 matches.
He is best known for his runs with Arsenal and Barcelona, having won two Premier Leagues and two La Liga titles each. He also won the UEFA Champions League title with the latter.
In a video shown to the crowds gathered as the name change was unveiled, Henry said, as quoted by ESPN, "It is an incredible honour for 50th Street and Sixth Avenue to be named Thierry Henry Way."
Henry also posted on X, "As a Frenchman who calls London my home, NEW YORK remains my favourite city in the world. To have a street named after me is an HONOUR i could only have dreamed of. This city holds such a special place in my heart - my son Tristan was born here, so NEW YORK is forever a part of our family's story. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there today as I'm working, but I was with you all in spirit. Thank you for this incredible honour. A special thank you to my Red Bull teammates for representing me and to Mayor Mamdani and Virginia Maloney for your kindness and recognition. I'll be back soon for a SELFIE."
The street is located in the centre of Manhattan near the Rockefeller Centre and was revealed on June 10. Henry is not the only World Cup icon to receive this honour. The Brazilian football icon Pele, the only player with three FIFA WC titles, was also honoured with a street in Queens, New York, named "Pele Way".
New York itself is hosting eight matches of the global football spectacle at the MetLife Stadium, including the title clash on July 20. The "Pele Way" and "Thierry Henry Way" can be found in New York until November this year.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone living in New York, I'm thrilled to see this! Henry was magical with the Red Bulls. But honestly, with the World Cup coming, they should consider naming more streets after football icons - maybe a "Messi Boulevard" or "Ronaldo Avenue"? Just a thought!
Wonderful gesture from NYC! 🇫🇷🇺🇸 But I wish India would do similar things for our sporting legends - imagine a "Sunil Chhetri Marg" in Kolkata or "Milkha Singh Way" in Delhi. We need to celebrate our own heroes too! Still, congratulations to Henry for this well-deserved recognition.
Nice honour for a great player, but I find it strange they're naming streets for footballers when the World Cup is still three years away. Maybe they should focus on infrastructure first? MetLife Stadium needs serious upgrades. Still, happy for Henry fans! 🏆
As a huge Arsenal fan in Mumbai, this makes my day! Henry is the reason I started supporting the Gunners. That goal against Man United, the invincible season... memories! New York has great taste. Wish I could visit and take a selfie at Thierry Henry Way! 🎯
Respect to Henry, but New York should also honour American legends. Where's a street for Mia Hamm or Landon Donovan? Seems like they're just riding the World Cup hype with international stars. But I guess that's the nature of global football now. 🤷♂️
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