Thierry Henry defends Ballon d’Or hosting remarks

Thierry Henry has addressed social media backlash following his role as a host at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London. In a video posted to Instagram, the former France and Arsenal striker clarified two specific moments that drew criticism.

First, Henry addressed an exchange with Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal during the Kopa Trophy presentation. Critics accused Henry of undermining Yamal by asking if the award was truly what the teenager wanted to win. Henry clarified that he was making a light-hearted reference to the fact that the main Ballon d’Or prize was still to be awarded, adding, “I am a big fan of Lamine Yamal. I was not picking on him.”

Second, Henry responded to accusations of disrespecting co-host Kate Scott after he corrected her pronunciation of the name ‘Socrates’ during the presentation of the Socrates Award. Henry stated that Scott was a willing participant in the joke and urged viewers to “stop inventing stories” regarding his professional conduct.

Henry also touched upon his support for Kylian Mbappé, noting that while he supports his fellow Frenchman, he believes Harry Kane was a worthy recipient of the Ballon d’Or, praising Kane’s work ethic.