Thierry Henry has officially stepped down as the manager of France’s U21 team, concluding his tenure after just one year in the position.
Henry's decision to resign comes following a notable achievement, where he led Les Bleuets to the final of the Olympic Games in Paris. Despite their commendable performance, the team narrowly lost 5-3 to Spain in extra time, missing out on the gold medal.
Henry was appointed a year ago, taking over from Sylvain Ripoll after France’s disappointing Euro U21 campaign. During his time in charge, Henry managed both the U21 and U23 teams, steering them to several successes, including a remarkable 9-0 victory over Cyprus.
Despite these achievements, Henry has chosen to resign for “personal reasons,” as confirmed by a statement from the French Football Federation (FFF). In the same communiqué, Henry conveyed his gratitude to FFF President Philippe Diallo, referring to the Olympic silver medal as “one of the biggest honours of [his] life.”
In response, Diallo expressed regret over Henry’s departure but commended his “great professionalism, rigour, and love for the blue shirt,” acknowledging the significant impact Henry made during his time with the U21 team.