18th December 2025
December 18 – Former French striker Thierry Henry is to be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.
Henry retired from playing in 2014, having redefined what a modern forward could be.
“Football has given me everything and I gave it my all,” Henry said. “To be recognised as part of its history with this Lifetime Achievement award and to have made my mark for the fans and my team-mates is something I’ll never take for granted.”
Henry’s legacy is baked into two spells at Arsenal and winning European and World Championships with France. Across two spells with the Gunners, he scored 228 goals in 377 appearances. He won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups, and was part of the historic 2003/04 season when Arsenal went unbeaten and became the ‘Invincibles’. For France, he played 123 times, scoring 51 goals.
Individually, Henry set the standard. He won the Premier League Golden Boot four times, a record he shares with Mohamed Salah, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive seasons. He also holds the joint record for most assists in a single Premier League campaign, level with Kevin De Bruyne on 20.
BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski said Henry “redefined what it meant to be a modern footballer.”
“From his artistry and intelligence in the Premier League to his impact on the global stage, his brilliance combined elegance with ruthless excellence,” he said. “Thierry inspired generations of players and fans… shaping football culture and the way the sport is played and understood today.”
After retiring, Henry moved into punditry, including work with BBC Sport, Sky, Paramount+, and now Fox Sports for the 2026 World Cup. His influence, though, has never been confined to a studio, and as a coach, he has influenced clubs and countries across the planet.