Gallery: 14 of Thierry Henry's best Arsenal moments

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

1. Try and stop me

18 Sep 1999: Southampton 0-1 Arsenal (Henry)

After eight goalless games had prompted some to nickname the floundering winger "the French Perry Groves", Henry proved his goalscoring potential by bending the ball past Paul Jones for his first Arsenal goal. It proved to be the winner at The Dell - and the first of many.

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

2. Playing to the gallery

15 Jan 2000: Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland (Henry 2, Suker 2; Quinn)

Henry celebrates his second and Arsenal's fourth against Sunderland at Highbury. He will go on on to score 26 and assist 11 in his first full season, before popping over to add the Euro 2000 crown to France's World Cup '98 triumph. Nice work if you can get it.

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

3. Sit up and beg

1 Oct 2000: Arsenal 1-0 Manchester United (Henry) 

Henry enters the clipshow equivalent of the Premier League pantheon by scoring the winner against Manchester United with an outrageous piece of skill. Receiving a pass at pace with his back to goal on the corner of the 18-yard box, he flicks it up, pivots and hammers it over his Euro 2000 team-mate Fabien Barthez into the far corner.

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

4. For my first 'trick…

26 December 2000: Arsenal 6-1 Leicester City (Henry 3, Vieira, Ljungberg, Adams; Akinbiyi)

Three days after Wenger complains "we so very rarely score two in a match," Arsenal hit Leicester for six on Boxing Day - and Henry gets his first Premier League hat-trick. In time, he will go on to score eight trebles - a total beaten only by Alan Shearer and Robbie Fowler.  

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

5. A tale of two Frenchmen

Nov 25 2001: Arsenal 3-1 Man United (Ljungberg, Henry 2; Scholes)

This top-of-the-table crunch clash seemed destined to end all square after Paul Scholes' early effort was cancelled out by Freddie Ljungberg's three minutes after half time.

But two decisive Henry strikes (and two blunders by compatriot Fabien Barthez) in the final 10 minutes gifsts the Gunners all three points. The France goalkeeper passes a goal-kick straight to Arsenal's talismanic forward to fire the hosts 2-1 in front, before failing to smother Patrick Vieira's chipped ball over-the-top, allowing Henry to slot home the clincher.

The Gunners would go on to clinch the Premier League title at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the season with yet another Frenchman, Sylvain Wiltord, netting the only goal. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

6. A moment immortalised

16 Nov 2002: Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham (Henry, Ljungberg, Wiltord)

A stroll around the Emirates Stadium’s exterior might take in Henry’s statue situated on the south-east corner of the Gunners’ home. It was from this game that the Frenchman’s famous celebration would be cast in bronze forever. 

Henry’s goal was the first in a three-strong rout of north London rivals at Highbury – a special effort reserved for the Gunners’ arch enemies. Picking the ball up deep inside his own half, Henry’s strength and raw pace takes him past two helpless Spurs defenders before he caps the lot with a fine finish past Kasey Keller. Tottenham fans haven’t been allowed to forget this one. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

7. When in Rome…

27 Nov 2002: Roma 1-3 Arsenal (Cassano; Henry 3)

Trailing to Antonio Cassano's fourth-minute effort at Stadio Olimpico, Henry turns on the style and turns the game on its head. The Frenchman needs just two minutes to level proceedings in Italy and completes his hat-trick with two goals in the space of six second-half minutes. Unfortunately that proves to be the Gunners' sole success in the second group phase of the Champions League in 2002/03, with Arsenal drawing four of their six matches.
 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

8. Will score from anywhere

10 Aug 2003: Arsenal 1-1 Man United (Henry; Silvestre)

Henry curls in a beauty from a free-kick 30 yards out to level the score against Arsenal's fierce rivals. It's a rare moment of class in a closely fought contest - occasonally overkeenly contested: Franny Jeffers is sent off and other players from both sides could easily have followed him into the bath - which is eventually decided on penalties in United's favour. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

9. Remaining invincible

28 Mar 2004: Arsenal 1-1 Man United (Henry; Scholes)

The Premier League's big two draw once again - which suits Arsenal, well clear at the top, much more than their rivals. Henry opens the scoring with a long-range swerver, and although Louis Saha levels, the Gunners are happy to have avoided defeat… as they would go on to do in every league game that season. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

10. Tightly marked? Doesn't matter…

2 Oct 2004: Arsenal 4-0 Charlton (Ljungberg, Henry 2, Reyes)

That'll make it 48 on 48: Three minutes after half time, Henry outrageously backheels home to double the Gunners' lead over the Addicks. It sets Arsenal on their way to a 48th consecutive undefeated league game, and although that run will end in acrimony at Old Trafford later in the month, Wenger's side set a new top-flight benchmark which will be incredibly difficult to beat. Just like the Invincibles, really.

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

11. Record breaker… almost

14 Jan 06: Arsenal 7-0 Middlesbrough (Henry 3, Senderos, Pires, Silva, Hleb)

A thumping win for Arsenal against Middlesbrough at Highbury. Lots of goals – seven of them, in fact. Henry helped himself to three of those, the last of which saw him draw level with Cliff Bastin’s league goals record of 150. Here, with typical Henry nonchalance, he helps up Boro defender David Wheater after netting his hat-trick goal. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

12. Bernab-ohhhhh

21 Feb 06: Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal (Henry)

Widely regarded as one of Arsenal’s best-ever wins under Arsene Wenger – and Henry, of course, was at the heart of it. The Gunners become the first English side to win in the Spanish capital thanks to their talismanic Frenchman’s brilliance after half time. Shrugging off several chances before slotting home past Iker Casillas just after the interval, Henry’s intervention helped Arsenal take a giant stride towards the quarter-finals. Turns out it was quite important – they’d go on to reach the Champions League final against Barcelona. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

13. Moving on in style

7 May 2006: Arsenal 4-2 Wigan (Pires, Henry 3; Scharner, Thompson)

Was there a more apt way to sign off the Gunners’ 93-year stay at Highbury than this? Football matches don’t often follow the script, but this one couldn’t have gone any better for Arsene Wenger’s side, who bid farewell to their famous home with an emphatic 4-2 win over Wigan Athletic. That Henry grabbed a hat-trick was both wholly unsurprising and befitting of his glittering career in north London. Goals from Paul Scharner and David Thompson threatened to spoil the party for Arsene Wenger’s men – but Henry couldn’t let that happen.

Here the Frenchman kneels to kiss the turf as he celebrates his third goal against the Latics. 

It's eight years ago to the day that Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for Arsenal. 

Henry became the Gunners' top marksman of all time after a brace against Sparta Prague. FourFourTwo doffs its cap to Arsenal's legendary No.14 with 14 of his most memorable strikes. And there are plenty to choose from…

14. “Have you missed me?”

9 Jan 2012: Arsenal 1-0 Leeds (Henry)

Just as he’d charmed the red half of north London when he put Wigan to the sword in his Highbury swan song, the stage was set for the Frenchman upon his loan return from New York Red Bulls. 

Arsene Wenger would only nudge his former charge into the limelight with just over 20 minutes remaining of this dour FA Cup replay against Leeds but Henry, now 34 years old, had no intention of a quiet night under the Emirates Stadium floodlights. 

Latching onto Alex Song’s neat through ball, Henry finishes past Andy Lonergan to send the home crowd into raptures. Welcome back, indeed.