Henry lands France Under-21 job

Former France forward Thierry Henry was appointed coach of the national under-21 team on Monday.

The French Football Federation said Henry was given a two-year contract and he will also lead a France Under-23 side at the 2024 Paris Olympics, describing the event as a "major objective".

Henry's first match in charge will be a friendly at home to Denmark on Sept 7 followed by Slovenia four days later in a first qualifying match for the 2025 European championship.

The 46-year-old Henry had two spells as Belgium assistant coach, including at last year's World Cup, but was not kept on after Roberto Martinez was replaced by Domenico Tedesco as head coach in February.

In between those stints, Henry coached Monaco and Major League Soccer's Montreal Impact.

Henry spent most of his playing career at Arsenal and is the English team's all-time record scorer. He also played for Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona and the New York Red Bulls before retiring in 2014.

Henry, who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France, has struggled to hit the same heights in coaching that he reached as a player.

He lasted barely three months as Monaco coach in the 2018-19 season and stepped down at Montreal Impact in February 2021 after just over a year at the helm.

He has also worked previously with Arsenal's youth teams and twice served on the Belgium coaching staff, helping the country finish third at the 2018 World Cup.

Henry, who scored 51 goals in 123 games for France, has been working as a TV consultant in recent times.

He could have a team built around Kylian Mbappe at the Olympics, with the France captain making no secret of his desire to play at the tournament, which is largely reserved for players aged 23 or younger.

Agencies