HARRISON, N.J.: Thierry Henry is leaving Major League Soccer after 4½ seasons, unable to lead the New York Red Bulls to the team’s first championship.
The 37-year-old French star made the announcement Monday, two days after the Red Bulls lost the Eastern Conference final to the New England Revolution. And he said he made the decision back in 2010 to leave when his contract expired.
“I am taking this opportunity to announce that unfortunately Saturday was my last game for the New York Red Bulls,” Henry said in a statement released by the team Monday. “The decision has always been that I would leave after the duration of my contract, and although that was never going to change, I didn’t want it to distract from the progress of the team.”
With Landon Donovan retiring after the Los Angeles Galaxy play New England in the MLS Cup final Sunday, the league is losing arguably its two biggest stars.
A former Arsenal and Barcelona standout, Henry did not say whether he’s retiring or intends to play elsewhere. He plans to take a few weeks to decide what to do next.
He speaks English, French and Spanish, also could turn his career to television and be a soccer analyst.
Henry joined the Red Bulls from Barcelona after the 2010 World Cup. He had a $3.75 million salary this year and $4.35 million in overall compensation,
“Thierry Henry, an icon of the world’s game, has been a wonderful player for the New York Red Bulls and a major influence on the development of MLS,” Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh said..
Henry played in 122 matches for the Red Bulls, scoring 51 goals and adding 42 assists, tops in franchise history. His goals total was second to Juan Pablo Ángel’s 58, 14 of his goals were winners and 11 of his assists set up winning goals, also tops in club history.
Henry also scored some of the league’s most spectacular goals, including one that went directly into the net on a corner kick against Columbus in 2012.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was quick to react to the on news.
“What a player!” he tweeted. “The best I faced without a doubt and yes I still have nightmares about him running past me at Anfield!! “
Henry was an MLS All-Star four times (2011-2014), a finalist for the league’s MVP award in 2012 and picked for MLS Best XI in 2011 and 2012.
In announcing his departure, Henry said he enjoyed his time playing in the MLS and living in the area.
“A special mention must go to the Red Bull fans who have supported this team through the good, the bad and the ugly times in the sun, rain and snow. You guys have really meant a lot to me and thank you for all your wonderful support,” he said.
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Thierry Henry leaving New York Red Bulls
Thierry Henry leaving New York Red Bulls
Svitolina downs Gauff, Pegula fights back to beat Anisimova in Dubai semis
- Elina Svitolina secures second consecutive victory over the world number four in a grueling three-hour encounter
DUBAI: Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina kept up her recent winning run against Coco Gauff as she edged the American 6-4 6-7(13) 6-4 on Friday to set up a final showdown with Jessica Pegula at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Pegula shook off a first-set stumble to defeat fellow American Amanda Anisimova 1-6 6-4 6-3 in the other semifinal.
Svitolina secured her second consecutive victory over the world number four in a grueling three-hour encounter, having previously beaten Gauff in straight sets at last month’s Australian Open quarter-finals.
Two-times Grand Slam champion Gauff struggled with double faults throughout the opening set as Svitolina seized control, breaking decisively to claim it 6-4.
Gauff roared back in the second set, displaying her trademark fighting spirit to force a tiebreak. The American saved four match points in a breathtaking 15-13 tiebreak thriller, keeping her hopes alive and electrifying the Dubai crowd.
The momentum swung back and forth in the decider, with the ninth game proving pivotal as it repeatedly went to deuce. Svitolina eventually held her nerve to edge ahead 5-4 before serving out the match to seal a hard-fought victory.
“I’m speechless after that fight. I was really trying to put myself out there, playing as if there was no tomorrow,” Svitolina said.
“It’s really special to be in the final again after a few years. Coco is such a big fighter. I was expecting her to come back in the match. She’s won so many big tournaments. I’m very pleased with the fight and the win,” she added.
Pegula stages comeback against Anisimova
World number six Anisimova took less than half an hour to win the first set before building a 3-1 lead in the second. But Pegula held her nerve and broke Anisimova three times in a row to win the second set, before securing victory in the decider.
“I held on to my serve there in the second set. I just kept telling myself that I had some break points in the first set, even though it was convincingly the other way, and I knew I could get some break points back,” 2024 US Open finalist Pegula said.
Pegula drew her opponent into longer rallies as she plotted her comeback, making Anisimova run back and forth with short slices and won the second set with a powerful backhand, as Anisimova’s hasty return went long.
An exhausted Anisimova found the net while attempting a drop shot, setting up Pegula’s break point to take a decisive 3-1 lead in the third set, clearing the path to her eighth WTA 1000 final.
Pegula shook off a first-set stumble to defeat fellow American Amanda Anisimova 1-6 6-4 6-3 in the other semifinal.
Svitolina secured her second consecutive victory over the world number four in a grueling three-hour encounter, having previously beaten Gauff in straight sets at last month’s Australian Open quarter-finals.
Two-times Grand Slam champion Gauff struggled with double faults throughout the opening set as Svitolina seized control, breaking decisively to claim it 6-4.
Gauff roared back in the second set, displaying her trademark fighting spirit to force a tiebreak. The American saved four match points in a breathtaking 15-13 tiebreak thriller, keeping her hopes alive and electrifying the Dubai crowd.
The momentum swung back and forth in the decider, with the ninth game proving pivotal as it repeatedly went to deuce. Svitolina eventually held her nerve to edge ahead 5-4 before serving out the match to seal a hard-fought victory.
“I’m speechless after that fight. I was really trying to put myself out there, playing as if there was no tomorrow,” Svitolina said.
“It’s really special to be in the final again after a few years. Coco is such a big fighter. I was expecting her to come back in the match. She’s won so many big tournaments. I’m very pleased with the fight and the win,” she added.
Pegula stages comeback against Anisimova
World number six Anisimova took less than half an hour to win the first set before building a 3-1 lead in the second. But Pegula held her nerve and broke Anisimova three times in a row to win the second set, before securing victory in the decider.
“I held on to my serve there in the second set. I just kept telling myself that I had some break points in the first set, even though it was convincingly the other way, and I knew I could get some break points back,” 2024 US Open finalist Pegula said.
Pegula drew her opponent into longer rallies as she plotted her comeback, making Anisimova run back and forth with short slices and won the second set with a powerful backhand, as Anisimova’s hasty return went long.
An exhausted Anisimova found the net while attempting a drop shot, setting up Pegula’s break point to take a decisive 3-1 lead in the third set, clearing the path to her eighth WTA 1000 final.
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