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24th Mar 2015

Thierry Henry says he was treated like a murderer after handball against Ireland

Henry says Robbie Keane "had no problem" with the incident

Neil Treacy

Uh Oh… Thierry Henry has been talking about November 2009.

The former Arsenal striker and now professional suit-wearer at Sky Sports has been speaking to a TV station in Francem, where among other topics discussed, the infamous handball against Ireland cropped up.

In case you just got the red-eye in from Mars, the Frenchman’s handball against Ireland in the World Cup playoff in 2009 created the William Gallas goal that ultimately killed Ireland’s chances of making it to South Africa.

The fall-out was hysterical, with Henry achieving war-criminal status in Ireland, and the FAI comically calling to be given a place at the World Cup as 33rd team.

Irish newspaper's reaction to last night's game 19/11/2009

Speaking to French TV station Canal +, Henry said that while the Irish media portrayed him as the spawn of Freddy Krueger and Kayser Soze, the reaction of the Irish players was much different.

“The only thing that I said was ‘yes, I handballed it, I am sorry.’ Robbie Keane said to me ‘I have no problem with you’,” he said.

Much like Steven Gerrard’s instant apology on Sunday, Henry said he was quick to own up to his mistake.

“I faced the press that night. I could have said ‘no, I am not going to talk to them’ but I went anyway.

“Yes I had a bad reflex. But when Lionel Messi scored against Espanyol with his hand, he dives onto it and everybody sees it. People then said ‘Extraordinary, genius Messi. He is becoming more and more like Maradona’ and for me, it was like I had killed somebody.”

A bad reflex? Ah here.

H-T Irish Independent

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