Brazilian starlet Thierry Henry scores first goal for Sao Paulo U17s

The name Thierry Henry is back on the scoresheet in a football game – but not for the iconic French forward.

A 15-year-old in Sao Paulo’s youth ranks carries the weight of the legendary name on his shoulders. Recently, Thierry Henry Santos Souza grabbed his first goal for the U17 side of the Brazilian giants.

Aspirantes Tricolores shared footage of Henry’s goal on Twitter. After some good pressure from Sao Paulo, the opposition played the ball back to their keeper. The long-striding Henry managed to hassle the hesitant goalie, nipping in front of his opponent to poke the ball home.

Sure, he won’t be winning the Puskas award with that strike, but it opens his account for the Sao Paulo academy. At just 15 years old, the Brazilian Henry stands out for two reasons: his name, and his (disputed) height.

Unbelievably, Gaming Deputy claims that the Sao Paulo youngster is 191cm tall – otherwise known as 6ft 3in. However, other sites state that Henry’s height is less than this.

At 15, Henry Santos Souza was born in 2007, so he never actually saw Thierry senior play for Arsenal. At the time of the Brazilian’s birth, *the* Thierry Henry was starting a new adventure in his career.

Thierry Henry I and II

2007 was an important year for both Thierry Henrys.  On 6 August that year, Thierry Henry Santos Souza entered the world. Just over a month prior, the Arsenal legend of the same name joined Barcelona. He cost the Catalan giants £16 million.

Henry left the Gunners as their all-time leading scorer, with 228 goals in 377 matches. In addition, he still holds the record as Arsenal’s leading Premier League scorer, finding the net 175 times.

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During his time in North London, he was the focal point of one of the Premier League’s greatest teams: Arsenal’s invincibles. Arsene Wenger’s side went undefeated over the 2003/04 season, picking up the league title in the process.

Henry added further silverware, including three FA Cups, before leaving Highbury.

After Arsenal, Thierry Henry linked up with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o in a devastating attack. This trio led Barcelona to an unprecedented sextuple, winning a staggering six trophies in the year 2009.

The success also meant that Henry added an elusive Champions League medal to his trophy cabinet. This was especially sweet after losing in the final with Arsenal in 2006.

Now, a Brazilian teenager continues the legacy of the Thierry Henry name in the game. With Arsenal’s apparent liking for Brazilian players, Thierry Henry II may even end up at the Emirates.

Arsenal’s Brazilian talent

The North London side have made a habit of signing players from the South American country. In 2019, they made a move for highly-rated prospect Gabriel Martinelli. Upon joining the club, Martinelli credited two former Brazilian Gunners – Edu and Denilson – with inspiring him to transfer.

Following this, Arsenal picked up centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes from French side Lille. He cost £23 million but has proved a shrewd investment as a solid defender and regular in the starting XI.

Fast forward to this summer, and Arsenal claimed yet another Brazilian called Gabriel. This time it was Gabriel Jesus, who they signed from league rivals Man City. He has already hit the ground running, scoring two goals against Leicester in an impressive performance on his home debut.

Finally, the Gunners also brought in a youngster from Brazil during the 2022 summer window. Teenager Marquinhos moved to North London from Henry’s senior side, Sao Paulo.

Who knows? Maybe Thierry Henry Santos Souza may follow in Marquinhos’ footsteps in the future.  

Featured image credit: Twitter/@aspirantesSPFC