Henry receives French recognition
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Article summary
Arsenal FC's Thierry Henry has been awarded the title of French footballer of the year.
Article body
Arsenal FC forward Thierry Henry has been named French footballer of the year by journalists of France Football and former award winners.
Clear winner
Henry finished with 162 points in the poll, 33 ahead of Real Madrid CF playmaker Zinedine Zidane who collected 129 points. AS Monaco FC's midfield player Ludovic Giuly was third on 67 points.
'Refined style'
"It's a pleasure to finish in front of Zizou," Henry said. "I gained maturity and refined my way of playing this year. Pure talent is not enough, except for Diego Maradona perhaps. Work and mind must be put together in order to improve."
Second places
Henry previously finished in second place in two prestigious awards, losing out to Zidane in the FIFA World Player of the Year award and coming second behind Juventus FC's Czech international Pavel Nedved for the Ballon d'Or, awarded to the European footballer of the year.
