Thierry Henry Recalls Clash with Xavi at Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain – Thierry Henry opened up about his early days at FC Barcelona in a recent podcast, recalling a memorable encounter with Xavi Hernandez that tested his understanding of the club’s culture. The French striker joined Barcelona in 2007 after a successful stint at Arsenal and faced challenges integrating into the team.

During the podcast, Henry recounted feeling frustrated as the new player, stating, “When I joined Barcelona, I was upset as I was the new one on the block – people are having a go at you more than the guy that won before, which I understand but it does wind you up.”

The incident that stood out to him occurred at Camp Nou. While chatting with his then-teammate Samuel Eto’o, Henry made a comment about Barcelona’s motto, “Més que un club” (more than a club), which caught the attention of Xavi, who was behind him. “He said, ‘Don’t talk about my club like this, you’ve never won anything here. Shut up, work, and when you win something one day, you can talk about it,’” recalled Henry.

Henry expressed respect for Xavi’s response, acknowledging he had not grasped the depth of the club’s significance at the time. “This is why the club is what the club is, because Xavi passed it onto me at that moment,” he said. Henry accepted the critique, saying, “I looked at him and said sorry.”

He went on to highlight the pride that players associated with Barcelona carry about the club and its traditions. “With Barcelona, they will all hammer you with what the club is. Anyone who went to La Masia, anyone who won there, they will pass it on… They are proud of what they do, and proud of the club,” he noted.

Despite the rocky start with Barcelona, Henry eventually found success. In his initial season, he scored 12 goals in La Liga, contributing to the team’s treble win. He later netted 26 goals in his second season, securing another league title. Henry left Barcelona in 2010, concluding his career in MLS with New York Red Bulls.