US legend claim Americans ‘start on the back foot’ in soccer

• Davies argued that Europeans looked down on players and coaches from the US
• Henry flipped the conversation by citing the NBA being dominated by Europeans
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Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry delivered a mic-drop-worthy argument when talking about Americans getting treated with a disadvantage in European soccer solely for being from the US. 

During CBS Sports’ EUFA Champions League coverage, Henry, Charlie Davies, Clint Dempsey, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards took part in a heated debate. 

The earlier half of the conversation was mostly dominated by Davies who argued Americans are seen in a particularly lop-sided lens and have to work harder to earn people’s respect. On the other hand, Carragher and Richards argued that they don’t have a problem about American players and coaches but Europeans are generally better at the sport. 

Henry picked up his mic in the middle of the fracas as the panel awaited his stance.

‘I’m gonna flip this,’ Henry said. ‘I love basketball. Do you think that European players are gonna have it hard to come to the NBA?

‘Now who dominates in the NBA? [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, [Nikola] Jokic, [Luka] Doncic, [Joel] Embiid,’ Henry added. 

The European side of the panel animatedly reacted to Henry’s remarks. Meanwhile, Dempsey sat quietly as Davies continuously tried to defend his stance by asking Henry if the same can be said for the NFL.

‘No, I’m just saying do you stop or you try to earn your respect?’ Henry added. 

Henry reiterated that where an athlete is from or who they are does not matter as long as they produce results. Henry stated that he would kick his own parents and kids out of the locker room if they did not know how to win. 

‘You know respect and all of that, it doesn’t matter your nationality,’ Henry said. ‘[If] you can’t win with me, you can’t win, even if you’re my dad, you gotta go. Doesn’t matter, you’re not sitting with me in my dressing room. Dad, mum, kids, we’re here to win. So it doesn’t matter where you’re from.

‘Whether you’re from America or Liberia like George Weah, you had to go and battle Milan when you could only have three foreigners in your squad. He (Weah) did not say to himself: ‘Well I’m Liberian, I’m not going to battle,’ you battle no matter what people, thank you very much.’ 

Winning is something Henry became familiar with during his legendary playing career. Henry won several Premier League titles, FA Cups and Community Shields with English side Arsenal. After his time in London, Henry moved to FC Barcelona and became a key piece in the club’s six-trophy season in 2009. 

Henry is also the only French player to win the European Golden Shoe and has the most French Player of the Year awards with five.

‘I just think that whoever you are, if you think and you said to yourself: ‘I can not do something because…’ stay at home.’ 

However, Davies pushed back, claiming he faced questions over his ability when he played for FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in France. 

‘When I walked into the locker room in France, there were a lot of questions that said “Americans, you’re good at [American] football and basketball.. but soccer, proper football, we don’t know yet.”‘ he said. 

‘And then in training, you have to prove it that, “Hey, I deserve to be on the pitch and I deserve to be playing.” 

‘So I get it, I had to fight for everything in order to succeed. But I think you’re starting on the back foot.’ 

Dempsey appeared to agree with Henry’s argument that respect has to be earned but still insisted that he had to work harder than British players to make it into the starting XI during his stints with Fulham and Tottenham. 

‘Regardless of wherever you go, you have to earn your respect,’ he said. ‘Respect is earned and it is not given. 

‘But saying that there are times that I felt I couldn’t be just as good as the other English players, British players, Irish players etc. You had to be better than them to just get on the field.’