Thierry Henry couldn’t have been more wrong about former Arsenal star he branded a ‘role model’

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Thierry Henry’s opinion will forever be valued at Arsenal; however, one thing the club icon said might not sit too well with fans. 

Being Arsenal’s record goalscorer, Henry can do very little wrong when it comes to his legacy at the Emirates. 

Fans adored Henry as a player and continue to admire the former striker as a pundit, where he often shares his opinion on Arsenal.

It was only earlier this season that Henry weighed in on Arsenal’s attack, handing Mikel Arteta a list of areas that require improvement. 

For the most part, the Arsenal legend wins over supporters with his input, although one comment made in 2023 could be considered far from the consensus among fans in N5. 

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Thierry Henry singled Alexis Sanchez out as a ‘role model’ 

In 2023, Henry spoke to Amazon Prime Video about former Gunner Alexis Sanchez. 

Acting as a pundit, the Frenchman spoke highly of Sanchez, who represented Marseille at the time.

“At Arsenal, he made me dream. He left, but I always liked his desire, the way he presses. We all know he’s quality, but at Inter I said to myself ‘He’s started to decline.’”

Henry continued by sharing an assessment of the Chilean that Arsenal fans would not wholly agree with.

“Honestly, now at Marseille…I went to see him the day after a game. Man was on a treadmill to do sprints.

“He’s a role model, on and off the pitch too. When you see such a player, who’s won it all, behave like this, you feel compelled to follow his example.”

Sanchez had a rampant energy during his time at Arsenal, but that’s not the entire story of the former winger’s tenure in North London, with the true story being far from Henry’s assessment.

Arsenal suffered in Sanchez’s final season

Being a player who rose from Chile to represent top European clubs such as Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan and Manchester United, Sanchez is considered a role model to many.

What some Arsenal fans would contest, however, is how much of a model player the ex-forward was in his final season in North London.

Sanchez went from being the best at Arsenal to a player supporters were desperate to see the back of, acting petulantly, performing sluggishly and ultimately forcing a transfer to Man United. 

The Chileans’ actions in the first half of the 2017/18 campaign were far from worthy of the title of a ‘role model’, something that former Gunner Hector Bellerin actually commented on.

In an interview with Oxford Union in 2018, Bellerin admitted that Sanchez demanded ‘too much’ from his Arsenal teammates.

“He demands from everyone, and sometimes it can be quite too much,” Bellerin said following the two-time FA Cup winner’s exit.

For the ugly scenes in Sanchez’s final season at Arsenal, many will not support Henry’s comments regarding the Chile international’s ability to inspire others.

It’s a tragedy that something destined to end in a legacy ended in such ugly scenes, with Sanchez taking it upon himself to drive from hero to zero at the Emirates.