Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp formed one of the greatest partnerships in football history at Arsenal.
The two forwards were absolutely unbelievable together and played a massive part in helping Arsene Wenger’s side win multiple trophies, including two Premier League titles.
Looking from the outside, you would imagine that Henry and Bergkamp were inseparable, but the Frenchman has now revealed that they barely spoke.
Is Ian Wright the greatest Arsenal legend besides Thierry Henry? If not, who is?
Thierry Henry shares how Dennis Bergkamp changed his career even though they hardly spoke
Dennis Bergkamp was Arsenal’s superstar when Thierry Henry joined the club from Juventus.
The Dutchman had already helped the Gunners win a double under Wenger, and he was still playing at an extremely high level.
Henry has revealed that he struggled to get into the side because of Bergkamp and the other Arsenal forwards, so he decided to copy everything he did.
By doing so, the Frenchman claimed that he was ‘educated’, even though the Netherlands icon never really spoke to him throughout their time together.
Speaking to Declan Rice in a video on The Arsenal App, Henry said: “Dennis Bergkamp was, because of how he was, you know what time it is. This guy educated me without saying anything to me. If you want the keys to the house, you have to take them away from Dennis Bergkamp. It’s a tough task.
“When I arrived at Arsenal, the song was ‘you’re walking in a Bergkamp wonderland’. I was like ‘wow!’
“Dennis talks with his eyes. You understand or you don’t, that’s on you. At the time, I wasn’t playing at Arsenal. I was coming on. I was fighting with Davor Suker, Nwankwo Kanu, Marc Overmars on the left or Dennis Bergkamp. I’m coming, and I’m not playing, so I was like ‘Okay, let me see what that guy is about’.
“Training session is at 9:30, the guy is there at 8:30. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to arrive at 8:30’. He sees me arriving at 8:30, and he arrives at 8:25 the day after. Then, he’s in training. He scores a beautiful goal, I score two. The day after, he scores three.
“He was hard with me without talking or showing me what was supposed to be done. People always talk about how we were. I never, ever sat with him at a hotel or at my house or at his house to have a coffee with Dennis Bergkamp during my time at Arsenal, ever!
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“We never used to speak a lot, but on the field, understanding was there. He educated me. The first time he came to my house was, I think, three years ago. If he calls me now or whenever he’s in trouble, I’ll be there and I know he will be there.
“Dennis Bergkamp was the best at making you understand what you need to understand without talking, without saying anything. Just follow his way and trust me, you will succeed. What he was able to do for me is second to none.”
Dennis Bergkamp educated Thierry Henry but Ian Wright made him an Arsenal fan
It is very clear that Bergkamp had a massive influence on Henry’s career.
The former Ajax man didn’t just provide a ton of assists to the Frenchman, but he also made him train harder than he ever did before to become the player he did.
Bergkamp deserves immense praise for that, but if you’re wondering why Henry loves Arsenal so much, the reason for that is Ian Wright.
“I fell in love with Arsenal because of Ian Wright,” Henry once famously said.
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