Thierry Henry steps down as France U21 coach

Thierry Henry has officially stepped down as the manager of France’s U21 team, after spending just a year in the role.

His decision comes after leading Les Bleuets to the final of the Olympic Games in Paris, where they narrowly lost 5-3 to Spain in extra time.

Appointed a year ago, Henry took over from Sylvain Ripoll after France’s disappointing Euro U21 campaign.

During his tenure, he managed both the U21 and U23 teams, achieving notable success, including a record 9-0 victory over Cyprus.

Despite this, Henry has decided to resign for “personal reasons,” as confirmed by a statement from the French Football Federation (FFF).

In the same communiqué, Henry expressed his gratitude to FFF President Philippe Diallo, calling the Olympic silver medal “one of the biggest honours of [his] life.”

Diallo, in turn, regretted Henry’s departure but praised his “great professionalism, rigour, and love for the blue shirt.”