Paris 2024 Football Draw reaction: Thierry Henry wants to 'visualise' the gold medal
France's men's football Olympic head coach Thierry Henry says that he 'can start working now' after the Paris 2024 football draw.
When asked about his feelings about the draw, the former Arsenal and France striker confessed himself ambitious yet humble. He insisted that he is all about visualising the gold medal and preparing for the tournament.
He also had a word on the Stade de Marseille, where France plays its opening match on Wednesday 24 July against the USA.
Read on to hear directly from Henry as his team begins its preparations for the upcoming Olympic tournament.
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Thierry Henry can 'start working' on Paris 2024
Things are getting real for Thierry Henry’s French squad, and he and his staff can properly focus on the Paris 2024 football tournament now that the draw is complete.
“We were impatient to know our opponents and get to work. We had already targeted some potential friendlies against non-European teams, now it is concrete," said Henry.
Funnily enough, France U23 – the basis of the Olympic men's team – is playing against the USA… next week!
“We are playing the USA on Monday. There is one opponent left that we don’t know, but otherwise, we can start working for real," explained Henry. "We must study our opponents. It starts tomorrow, though I assume my assistants are already working on it now. We can study things in detail.”
Thierry Henry 'visualises' the Olympic gold
Henry also said that he wants to bring France back to the top at the Olympics.
“We won our only gold medal 40 years ago, though we have had some great teams since then," he said. "I would have loved to play for France at the Olympics, but I could not, unfortunately.”
He is ambitious, yet humble, as he emphasized on “visualising” rather than aiming at the gold medal.
"I am looking at the gold medal, but I know it's a very long road to reach it," said Henry. "But if you don't come to such a tournament for the gold, there is no point coming."
"But as I said, it's a long way to the top," he continued, "and if you look at history, more often than not, South American teams are the ones having the best way to the top."
Henry knows his history, as South Americain teams won the past five Olympic tournaments: Argentina (2004, 2008), Mexico (2012), Brazil (2016, 2020).
Thierry Henry, back to Marseille for an opening game
One thing is for sure, Henry knows what it feels like to play an opening match in Marseille. He was in the France starting XI on 12 June 1998 as Les Bleus kicked off their World Cup against South Africa.
"First game in Marseille, personally it reminds me of our first game against South Africa in 1998," he said in the mixed zone after the draw.
Henry forced Pierre Issa’s own goal before scoring his first-ever World Cup goal at the end of the match (3-0). France ended up lifting the trophy.
And at Paris 2024, Henry would love history to repeat itself.
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