Thierry Henry steps down as France coach after guiding youngsters to men’s football silver at Paris 2024
Thierry Henry has stepped down from his role as France men’s under-21s head coach for "personal reasons" upon the conclusion of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The French football legend took charge of the national youth setup in August 2023, which also included leading France’s Olympic men’s football team at their home Games the following year.
France won the silver medal in the Olympic football tournament, which comprises of under-23 players in the men’s competition. This was their first medal of any colour in Olympic men’s football since Los Angeles 1984.
Thierry Henry guided France to the silver medal in the Olympic men's football competition at Paris 2024.
France fell just short in the gold medal match after a thrilling final against Spain, who won 5-3 at the Parc des Princes on 9 August. Henry’s side had come from 3-1 down to force extra time but were edged out in their first defeat of the calendar year.
Although they missed out on gold, Henry leaves having further inspired a generation aiming to emulate his golden footsteps in the game.
Les Bleus recorded a perfect group stage – three games, three wins and zero goals conceded – before earning revenge over Argentina in a 1-0 win in the quarter-final.
France then fell behind in the semi-final against Egypt, before a late equaliser by Jean-Philippe Mateta brought it to extra time where the French triumphed 3-1 en route to Olympic silver.
In a statement, the president of the French Football Federation (FFF) Philippe Diallo said: “On behalf of the FFF, I would like to thank Thierry Henry for all the work he has accomplished at the head of the under-23 and Olympic teams.
“We obviously regret this decision because Thierry Henry was able to achieve the goals that had been set for him by winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, 40 years after the Olympic medal in Los Angeles.
“Having followed him throughout this campaign, I was able to discover his great professionalism, his rigour and his love of the France jersey. We wish him good luck for the rest of his career.”