HARRISON: French striker Thierry Henry on Thursday confirmed that he has retired from international football after making 123 appearances and scoring a record 51 goals for France.
Appearing at a press conference at the Red Bull Arena here following the officialisation of his move to Major League Soccer side the New York Red Bulls, the 32-year-old explained the reasons behind his decision.
"I’ve worn (the French shirt) 123 times and I’ve always had goosebumps when I’ve worn the blue jersey," he said.
"But you have to know when to stop. There are young players coming through."
Henry, who arrives in America from Spanish champions Barcelona, dismissed suggestions that he was winding down his career.
"When you join a club you always try to win the title, which is what I’ll do here," he said, adding that football was on the rise in the United States.
"Twenty-five million people watched the final of the World Cup.
"It’s extraordinary."
There were no bursts of confetti or squealing fans on Henry’s arrival to America, but Major League Soccer hope the French striker’s official arrival will provide at least as big a boost as that of David Beckham.
"I’m thrilled to be here," Henry said.
"Everybody knows I love the city, but I’m here to win. That is the most important thing. I am a competitor."
Henry’s move garnered plenty of attention. New York media turned out in force and MLS commissioner Don Garber was also in attendance on Thursday.
But there was little of the Hollywood glitz that greeted Beckham’s July 2007 arrival at the LA Galaxy, who introduced their new star before thousands of fans in an on-pitch ceremony complete with fireworks.
Beckham’s stint with the Galaxy has been something of a mixed bag as he battled injury and attempted to keep his England international career alive.
Henry said he didn’t believe his MLS impact should be measured against that of the England midfielder.
"We’re (both) here to make football better," he said.
Nonetheless, Henry is an eminently marketable commodity for the MLS, who are always seeking to expand football’s reach in America.
His introductory press conference was streamed live on the team’s website, which also displayed his first photo-shoot in team kit.
The Red Bulls say they’re more concerned with what he can deliver on the pitch, and that the publicity is just a bonus.
"I think it’s just positive that we get as much publicity as possible," Red Bulls coach Hans Backe said.
"It’s positive for Red Bull, it is positive for Major League Soccer to get that type of player. So there’s no disruption at all, it’s only positive."
Henry earned his first cap for France in a friendly against South Africa in October 1997 and played his final international game against the same side, as France bowed out of the World Cup at the group phase with a 2-1 defeat by the hosts last month following a disastrous campaign.
Between those two games, Henry’s career in French colors touched soaring highs and miserable lows.
He was a junior member of the side that won France’s first World Cup on home soil in 1998 and which went on to win the 2000 European Championship and the 2003 Confederations Cup.
His tally of 51 international goals was 10 goals more than the mark of 41 set down by former France great Michel Platini.
One of his most memorable strikes came in the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, when he volleyed a Zinedine Zidane free-kick into the roof of the Brazil net to send France into the last four.
He endured bitter disappointment with France, however, when Les Bleus crashed out of the 2002 World Cup at the group stage and then repeated the feat at Euro 2008.
His France career ended under a cloud after his controversial handball against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup play-off in Paris last November enabled France to progress at the expense of the Irish.
He subsequently spent most of his time in South Africa on the bench, after France coach Raymond Domenech informed him prior to the start of the tournament that he was no longer guaranteed a starting place.
With 123 caps, Henry trails only Lilian Thuram (142) in the list of his country’s all-time appearance makers.
