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Latest update: 20/11/2009
- 2010 FIFA World Cup - football - France - French national team - Ireland
Henry's handball sparks media storm against 'Les Bleus'
Devastation from the Irish, a vicious spanking from the UK and red-faced admissions from the French - three countries' media react to Thierry Henry's handball that cost Ireland its World Cup dream on Wednesday.
"Jour de gloire? Day of infamy more like," wrote the UK’s Daily Telegraph columnist Henry Winter. "France cheated their way on to the last flight to South Africa. Thierry Henry handled not once, but twice in setting up William Gallas’s goal that broke Irish hearts and all rules of sporting justice at the Stade de Fraud on Wednesday night.”
"Thierry Henry is an insincere cheat who has tarnished his reputation for good," wrote The Times football columnist Tony Cascarino.
Cascarino, a former Irish international, said Wednesday's infamous handball from French striker and former Arsenal star Henry would be as permanently imprinted on the collective football conscience as Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" in the 1986 World Cup final against England.
"When we reflect in years to come on the career of one of the finest strikers the game has known," he said, "We will have to put his handball against Ireland right up there with all the great goals he scored."
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While The Sun, the UK's biggest selling daily newspaper, dubbed the foul "Le Hand of God”, its British competitor the Daily Mirror, firmly in the play-on-words tradition of British tabloids, stated bluntly in its headline: "French Nickers".
All this vitriol towards a player who was once, as Arsenal's star player from 1999 to 2007, one of the most popular players in English Premiership.
The Irish emotional
But if the British press delivered a vicious media spanking to Henry and the French team, the tone in Ireland was much more emotional.
Beginning his article "under a starless sky, death by a single cut," Irish Independent columnist Vincent Hogan lamented an Irish tragedy in a city where everything seems to outshine the relative lack of sophistication of his homeland, making Henry's handball a smooth and terrible stab in the innocent Irish heart.
"And yet it felt shocking that a country’s dream could perish so fraudulently," he wrote. "Short of tucking the ball up his jersey, Thierry Henry couldn’t have been more openly tactile in possession before flicking to William Gallas for the kill shot."
Irish sports blogger Gareth Maher was less emotive, saying the cruelty of the blow was compounded by the basic fact that the Irish team had outclassed the French.
"France march on to South Africa, while Ireland are left wondering what might have been," he opined. "It is a cruel way for the qualifying campaign to finish up, especially after out-playing their more fancied opponents, but sadly that is how it ends."
'Un miracle'
The French press, in a rare moment of unanimous honesty, said Les Bleus had performed badly and admitted that the victory was pyrrhic. Even Henry was quick to admit his guilt, but said it had been the referee's responsibility to spot his foul, and not his to own up.
France's biggest-selling national newspaper, sports title "L'Equipe", also splashed the line "Main de Dieu" (Hand of God) on its front page.
It was "a miracle the French team had survived as long as it did in the game, with its child-like passes and the very average performances from its players," the newspaper said. "No game has been so eagerly anticipated and as monumentally ballsed-up as this one in a very long time."
The French capital's daily Le Parisien also said the result was "a miracle" for a French side that had shown themselves "incredibly apathetic, incapable of cobbling together the barest semblance of football or to pull off two consecutive passes."
The newspaper France Soir said victory for Les Bleus came "as a climax at the end of an unbearable game and thanks to a handball that will be the focus of debate for the days ahead.”
On the net
Social networking has also gone into overdrive, with "Thierry Henry"' featuring as one of the top "trending topics" on micro-blogging site Twitter, while a Facebook group entitled "We Irish hate Thierry Henry" had amassed 25,000 members by 10.30am (GMT+1).
Reactions also poured in to the FRANCE 24 website, some long and some short.
The Irish point of view was summed up succinctly by the comment: "We were robbed of our World Cup! Hand goal to Henry... Very upset... Merde..."
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Comments (59)
Well the Irish can complain
Well the Irish can complain as much as they like...but what about that penalty that the French team were not allowed? And when you look at shots on goal comparisons, the French team clearly had the advantage...bad calls are made...this is football unfortunately :(
Thierry - No to cheating!!
I used to admired this player very much, but his hand ball againt Ireland is indeed unfortunate. Being a professional player he should have known better. I have regards for him any more and the FFF, as I hold him responsible for the Irish's shattered dream. FIFA should make a rematch of the game as Irelnd demanded. Henry is a cheat...
cheaters
france cheated once again
Thierry Henry
The French team should have immediately admitted their mistake and taken the loss. If the team can't win any other way everyone will now know what kind of team they have. Ireland is clearly the better team and should be acknowledged as such.
Henry has no blame. It was
Henry has no blame. It was emotional and he touched the ball by instincts. it was not intentional. Henry has always been and would always be a good player
The French have been robbed.
The French have been robbed of a chance of a dignified qualification to the world cup. The French Football Federation has robbed the French of an opportunity to qualify fairly.
Cheats
Your team has lost all respect as a team. I hope you have heard about Karma because your country could be in for a long curse.
No Prob In Critical Situation
If I was him I would do thesame because we are all humans and we do things without reasoning when situations are critical.However he is still tobe blame the other way round.
scott
Hand ball
If this happenned with the Irland player,am one hundread percent shore that the French would make a repeat game.
I,m not French or Irish.
This refere should get fired.He should not ref another game on his life.
Yes, lets replay the game and
Yes, lets replay the game and all the other injustices that happen everyweek all around the world. Particularly Joe Jordans infamous hand ball against Wales and what about '66 world cup and the ball not crossing the line for the goal. Eduardo pillaried also Ngot recently. Not aword mentioned about Rooney and Bent going down 2 yards before reaching th keeper. Apart from Shearer justifying Rooney and Bent by saying they might have made contact if they stayed on their feet. C'mon
cant believe't
IF THERE'LL BE NO REMATCH I'LL HATE HENRY+FRANCE+SARCUZY+BLATTER+BARCILONA 4EVER
irish and proud
don't really know what to say other than i love the french people and their culture and have many french friends,so it makes it that much harder to accept that my so called friends could stab me in the back,ok maybe thats a bit harsh its up to the officals to spot the wrong doings but they didn't cause they never went to speck savers!! i know its only a game and believe me i know theres more important things to worry about in life but try telling that to your younger sister who cried none stop for an hour after the game and now says she's had enough of the game due to what goes on in the modern game,we irish have a game called gealic football it would do well for the rest of the world to see real sports men and women behave in a manner were they wouldn't let their team mates down with the total crap that goes on in football today and our lot don't even get paid!!!!!!!! i just want to finish with shame on fifa and uefa bladder,plattini........MUPPETS!!!!!!!!!!!!so proud of the boys in green my heart goes out to ya lads,don't give up the fight boys you's lot will have your day i for one believe,,,slan
henry
OUTRAGE....BLATANT ROBBERY.....Ireland gave the french a real lesson in football....And do you know what ...The whole of the world was watching....A grave ...grave day for the beautiful game...Shame on EUFA...FIFA...FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION...tHE OFFICIALS SHOULD HAVE WORN ballaclavas......
ireland - france game
France - keep your spot, be happy in the knowledge that you got there and only could get there by cheating and with arrogance. Your place in South Africa 2010 is tainted and the whole world knows it.
Les Bleus = Les Cheats
No matter what France manage to do in the World Cup finals, it will be tarnished by this disgraceful act of cheating. The world, and I suspect even France, will feel that Les Bleus should not be there while the better team remains at home in Ireland.
France shame
Shame on France. You have dishonoured your flag.Henry,the French team, the French Football Fed, even Sarcozy. Shame on you all. Have you any pride at all? This will haunt you forever.
There is still time to offer a replay and save yourselves.
the french wont play ierland
the french wont play ierland agin becouse they know they lost and they are chicken and cheats can some one pls tell me how can he go to the world cup and hold a childs hand in fair play. my heat goes out to the team fifa wont the best player at the world cup so tell me on that night what french player was better than the DUFFER he played out of his skin for his country and so did the team and they deserve better
Henry
What really Pi**** me off was the way he celebrated after the goal was scored and then not taking responsibility for the hand ball by blaming the ref, So it's OK to brake any rule as long as you don't get caught
Henry
What really Pi**** me off was the way he celebrated after the goal was scored and then not taking responsibility for the hand ball by blaming the ref, So it's OK to brake any rule as long as you don't get caught
cheaters
cheats fifa and france
Roll on the next Travesty
Roll on the next Travesty soon so this overreaction can cease
Time To Get Over It
Shit Happens!!If it was the other way around we would have been quiet happy to take the win.
Get over it and please stop this O.T.T. reaction, If we had half the quality that we thought we had Ireland would have won the game before all this occurred.
As regards seeding the play offs and the dubious quality of the refereeing well I think FIFA ahd its leadership have shown their true colours. Money is God.
Eric Disappointed(But not bitter) Irishman
handball a disgrace
its a disgrace what he did and the match should be replayed without a shadow of a dout. henry should feel so ashamed at what he done
france in world cup
every country dreams of winning the world cup but none seems more that the french team. maybe the rest of the world should hand france the 2010 fifa trophy by giving the french team a walkover for every match so france can win the trophy without having to fire a single shot !!!
Thierry Henry
Henry is a cheat and has not only tarnished his reputation but the reputation of Frances qualification. Noone will support the french in South Africa. If it happened to France they would have blocked ports, Airports and had another excuse not to do any work!!!!!
If...
I wonder if it had been Ireland who had scored by the same means, would we be happy to continue to South Africa. I would personally be ashamed to have that hanging over our heads. The thought that commentators around the world will say "Many say they don't deserve to be here..."
It is hard to say if FAI would offer a rematch, but I would hope they would. I think, though I don't wish to be so cynical, that if there wasn't so much money involved,FIFA and the FFF would be more willing to discuss a more equitable path forward. Vive Fair Play.
Thierry Henry's Handball
What an absolute disgace + what a sad endictment on the most wonderful game in the world that FIFA condones such an unsportsman like action freely admitted by the perpetrator. There should be nothing less than a rematch!!!!!
Thierry Henry
FIFA have been very quite,fair play how can the justify when it was a blatant hand ball replay should be the way forward
T. Henry
Trust the French,cheats Zidane now Henry,may they go scoreless in another W.C.They have NO honour.
henry is the man
henry is not responsable of that why we have cameras n referree huh u should not hate matter fact u should love him
hmmm
simple but power full henry is best!!!!!
Cheating
Now hold up, he didn't "tarnish his reputation forever", he admited he had done wrong and accepted it and that should at least hold some credibility.
Soutenez maintenant, il n'a pas "terni sa réputation pour toujours", il a reconnu qu'il avait fait mal et l'avait accepté et cela devrait au moins tenir une crédibilité.
Carlitos
Where is your honour France???? What happened to fair play FIFA??? The World Cup brings all nations together, but the actions and ommitions of some of its members can only bring shame to our game.
Do the right thing replay, and regain your dignity Henry, France and FIFA
Hold your head high Ireland. Estamos contigo!!!!
This is no worse than anything else
Uh
This is a sport wherein people deliberately fall to the pitch despite not having been contacted in attempts to draw a penalty. This happens on a regular basis. I cannot see how this is any worse. It is unclear to me that he intended to deceive the official. Yet, this is the thing which besmirches the sport? Not the constant intentional cheating? You people are just overly emotional and entirely irrational right now. Your rage at this particular incident is completely nonsensical.
hand of Henrt
Your image in football is now ruined, and you will be remembered for your cheating skill rather than your football skill. SHAME ON YOU Henry.
hand ball
most of the world seen this hand ball...its an injustce,,,play it again
France can restore sporting fair play
The great Republique of France has within its grasp a chance to create a huge and ultimate Fair Play act by agreeing without any prompt to replay last nights game. Can you only imagine the message this would send out positively. The ref has now admitted totally it was handball, Henry has admitted handball, Video evidence had proven it and Soccer at world level has been shattered in terms of credibility. By doing the right thing regardless of FIFA rules France would prove themselves true sportsmen...otherwise they have tarnished themselves in the eyes of the world. You will most likely never play as poor again and beat Ireland but you owe it to world sport not alone Ireland.
Cheat
Henry should back the Irish call for a replay, but he wont, nor will your manager, nor your FFF. Because you know there's a very good chance Ireland will beat you. A very good chance indeed. The French football team isn't made of respectable men anymore, you are no longer worth of the title 'former World Champions'. Your team as a whole is guilty of perpatrating a huge offense against weaker opposition, because thats the only way you could win. Your team deserves the backlash it is getting from its fans, and the same lashing should be applied to both your President and FIFA for the shocking way they are dealing with this; your President for his post match gloating comments and FIFA for their ignoring of the subject last night. They got what they wanted, a bigger TV audience for the World Cup, more money in the bank. Disgraceful.
Barry. A brokenhearted Irishfanman.
henrys handball
in the name of fair play between france and rep of ireland
Hand of God?
The Devil took Henry to South Africa and said all this could be yours. He bowed to temptation at Irelands expense while FIFA bury their heads in the sand.
Ireland V France/ The cultural effect
i wish to add a different voice to the numbers of sports fans that watched the Death of the "BEAUTIFUL GAME"on tv last night.Yes im Irish and im an all round sports fan,soccor rugby , football.cycling,golf, to name but a few.In my opinion how we see soccor as a large C or small c cultural event is important in our lives.In the same way as we see Fine Art or listen to music. What we did see on TV was the erosion of Value and the assault on character.Not of the personor or personalities involved but the assault on the game itself.Beneath the surface the illusion of a win or how it was won,that in the long term will have the greatest effect bothon the game and its supporters.The true victims of this erroneous dicision are both sets of fans Irish and French and respect for the Beautiful Game .As to its cultural value and fairness, do we now leave it in the hands of FIFA to decide? With Respect. www.jimlawn.com
Henry's handball
There can be no doubting that the man cheated.To then claim "it had been the referee's responsibility to spot his foul" is naive, a poor defence. Drug cheating can now be dealt with after a result is declared, because evidence is there. Well the evidence, complete with confession is here. Henry knew what he was doing, so even if nothing can be done to change the game result Henry must be punished, say a FIFA ban from all future World Cup involvement.
Fair play
rematch
The Irish game
In the play leading up to the Henry incident the ball was crossed from the right and passed across the goalmouth.At this time Richard Dunne,the Irish no5 was quite clearly seen pulling down the French no17 as he tried to head the ball.It passed over them to Henry and rest is history.Ifthe officials had seen this incident it would have resulted in a French penalty and the Henry incident would have counted for nothing.If Given had played the whistle instead of putting his hands up to appeal he would probably have intercepted the ball.You can only play to the whistle and the referees decision is final.
The hand of god?
The action defined the character of the man, the reaction defines the character of the Nation.
im so sad
I never watch football again................
French Sportsmanship?
France is a proud and successful nation and is a beacon to the world in many regards - culture, art, cuisine and the principal of Equality.
France's image will be tarnished unless the French Football Association agrees to Irish demands for a fair and proper Replay.
What does this incident tell young sports people around the world? - That cheating and unsporting behaviour is acceptable and condoned?
Shame on Thierry Henry and the French FA if a replay is not granted!!
Ireland/French match
I thought France was an honourable nation.....obviously not.
ireland v france
its a disgrace,the lines man definetly seen the hand ball.if the ref didnt see it ,why didnt he ask the lines man.thats what he's there for.there should be a replay or if not a decision made to bring in video evidence, to stop this ever happening agai.its only fair isnt it.
France v Ireland and Henry
How can the French Football Federation not stand up and be counted on to do the right thing and offer a replay of the France v Ireland World Cup Qualifier play off. If they do not put this injustice to right then they cannot possibly count themselves as a true sporting organisation. FIFA and their Fair Play attitude and programme is obviously a nonsense and it is not a case of Fair Play for all but in fact Fair Play when it suits them. Thierry Henry has a responsibility to all football fans to stand up and be counted as a sportsman to be the one to bring about the correction of this cheating result.If the French cannot beat Ireland without cheating in this manner then how can they hold their heads high. It is remarkable that on the FFF website the match highlights does not show a replay of the cheating goal... This surely says it all. Thierry Henry , you will now be remembered by football fans in Ireland and around the world as a man who cheated in sport and the man with no honour. A sad day for FIFA and football.
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