Thierry Henry carries the Olympic torch through Paris on Bastille Day as the Arsenal legend prepares to lead the France men’s team at home Games
Arsenal and French legend Thierry Henry carried the Olympic torch through Paris on Sunday.
The 46-year-old coach will coach the French men’s national football team during the Olympic Games that will take place in his home city this summer.
France will face the United States, Guinea and New Zealand in the group stage of the tournament, which begins on July 24 and ends on August 9.
Henry prepared for the big kick-off by jogging past some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks and down the Champs-Elysees with a torch in hand.
Sunday’s torchlight procession began earlier in the day during a traditional military parade marking France’s national day.
Thierry Henry carried the Olympic torch down the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday
Henry, pictured waving to fans, will coach the French team in the men’s football tournament
Henry said after his leg was transplanted: ‘It’s not something you turn down, on our national holiday, on the Champs-Elysees, the Olympic Games in Paris. Simply extraordinary.’
Former striker Henry has announced an 18-player squad for the Olympic Games.
According to tournament rules, only three members of his team are over 23 years old.
These experienced players include Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Sevilla’s Loic Bade and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, who will lead the team.
Michael Olise, who recently moved from Palace to Bayern Munich, is also among the 18 players who represented France at Euro 2024.
Former striker Henry stood shoulder to shoulder with the president of the Paris 2024 organising committee, Tony Estanguet (left) and the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo (centre).
Henry was dressed all in white at the event, which took place amid festivities surrounding France’s national day.
Henry seemed to enjoy it and later described his experience as ‘just extraordinary’
Henry represented France 123 times at senior international level between 1997 and 2010.
He scored 51 goals for Les Bleus and was part of the teams that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship.