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France's Thierry Henry Posted: Thursday May 23, 2002 1:56 PM
By Patrick Snell, CNNSI.com French striker Thierry Henry has only ever experienced winning the game's biggest prizes with his country. Four years ago, a relatively unknown Henry took France '98 by storm, hitting the net three times and becoming leading scorer for Les Bleus en route to that World Cup triumph in Paris. Now he's a key part of a squad desperate to become back-to-back winners of football's biggest prize. "It's always tough, and you know at the World Cup you always have some surprises," Henry said. "Sometimes a game of football is so close, sometimes some teams are so tight and some games are so close, you can hit the post and the ball goes out, then the other team hits the post and the ball goes in. "Sometimes a game of football can be lost on only this thing, but at the end of the day we are going to go out there to try to do it." The 24-year-old former Monaco and Juventus forward is now enjoying the best form of his life in London with Arsenal, scoring over 20 goals this season. But his biggest successes have come with his country. Henry was part of the French side that took the 2000 European Championship title -- something he believes reflects the character of his national side. "Everyone was expecting us to fail because none of the European teams have ever done it before us -- to win the World Cup and then to win the European championships -- and we have done it," he said. "That's why, although we respect all the squads, we are confident enough to think we can do it. "[But] we all know that its going to be really, really difficult." Henry's side is many people's favorites to retain their title -- but he knows the pretenders to the French throne are ready and waiting to pounce. "Obviously everyone talks about Argentina, everyone talks about similar teams, but you not its not always [the favorites]," he said. "For example in France '98 our toughest game was against Paraguay. "You never know what's going to happen, but I would like to say as well that people are ruling out the African sides too much." The mantle of best team in the world is one that appeals greatly to Henry, and assuming he proves fit after a late injury scare, he'll be doing all he can to ensure France continues its global supremacy. World Sport, the sports news show that airs on CNN International, previewed many of the individuals expected to shine at the World Cup.
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