Ranking Thierry Henry's 5 Greatest Arsenal Moments

In the history of Arsenal Football Club, no other man engendered as wide a range of positive emotions from their fans as Thierry Henry.

Whether it was pure awe when he ran the length of the pitch past armies of Spurs players to score in 2002 or sobbing with joy as he opened up his body and slotted the ball into the far corner against Leeds on his return a decade later, he inspired a whole generation of football fans.

Undeniably at the top of his game during his time in London, he holds a place in the heart of every Arsenal fan that will be one reserved for him and only him for the foreseeable future. His image, in trademark knee-slide pose, is now cast in bronze outside the Emirates, a symbol of the moments of pure joy he brought Arsenal fans.

The sad news is that we will not see the man doing his thing on a football pitch again, after he recently announced his retirement from playing. In tribute, following this slide are five of his finest moments in an Arsenal shirt.

Given the sheer number he scored, many of his greatest moments for the Gunners are goals. Of those, we've not only considered the quality of goal itself but the opposition and importance to the team, Henry as an individual or the fans, as well as considering the balance between domestic and European greatness.

However, there are some moments that sneaked in that don't necessarily involve the ball hitting the back of the net.

Honourable Mentions

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Thierry Henry scored 228 goals for Arsenal over the course of 377 games for the club, so naturally, there are going to be some moments that miss out. 

His first goal for Arsenal is one that needs to be mentioned for many reasons. As well as being a fabulous goal—he received the ball with his back to the defender before shifting the ball and curling it into the far corner of the goal, falling backwards while doing it—you've got to remember how important it was to both Henry's career and the club.

After failing to score in his first eight games, he could have joined the list of Premier League flops at that point, but instead, he kick-started a career that took him to the top of the game. 

It is also worth remembering the glorious goal he scored against Inter Milan in the Champions League—trumped to a place in the top five by a more significant European night.

Zipping half the length of the pitch with Javier Zanetti in hot pursuit, Henry checked his run before shifting left and smashing the ball across Francesco Toldo into the opposite side of the net to score a goal that truly demonstrated every lethal aspect of his football ability.

Perhaps the most controversial honourable mention is the goal he scored against Manchester United in 2000, which saw him flick the ball up with his back to goal and volley it over Fabien Barthez's head. A favourite of many fans, a similarly iconic goal was chosen instead—one with a bit more of a north London edge.

5: Record-Equalling Goal vs. Sparta Prague, 2005

Named on the bench for this Champions League group game against Czech opponents Sparta Prague, it looked as if Thierry Henry was going to have to wait to equal Ian Wright's all-time club top goalscorer record.

A groin injury meant Henry was restricted to the sidelines, only the be called upon if necessary.

But with Jose Antonio Reyes pulling up after 15 minutes, Henry was summoned. Six minutes and four touches later, he equalled Wright's record in the most magnificent fashion. 

After Kolo Toure clipped a long ball down field, Henry took it down on the run, using the back of his foot to leave the ball just behind him. After repositioning himself with the ball bouncing, he ignored the supporting Robin van Persie and Robert Pires and instead opted to curl it with the outside of his boot into the far corner of the net.

Reverse camera angles show how much the ball bent, starting way outside the post before curving its way back in, in what was a truly audacious attempt. 

It is the context of this goal that is as important as anything. Besides the fact he was injured, to score this record-equalling goal in such exquisite fashion sums up the career he had with Arsenal. While he did score the record-breaking goal later in the same game, the incomparable brilliance of his opener and what it meant means it makes the top five.

4: Kissing Highbury Goodbye, 2006

For the club's final game on the ground they called home for 93 years, how fitting it was that the best player the club has ever seen got to say farewell in the most phenomenal fashion. 

He got a hat-trick that day, as Arsenal said goodbye to Highbury with a 4-2 victory over Wigan, marking a very memorable day in many respects for all involved. But rather than the three goals he scored, it was what he did after he scored his third goal that catapults this moment into the top five.

Awash with speculation about his future, this action, in many ways, made Arsenal fans fear the worst—that he was not only saying goodbye to Highbury but also the club.

Dismissing this in an interview after the game, the penalty that sealed his hat-trick was celebrated by Henry collapsing to his knees and kissing the turf of Highbury for one last time. An emotional moment, it was a stadium where he had scored a multitude of incredible goals and became the player he did for Arsenal, producing moments for all fans to remember him by.

3: Goal vs. Real Madrid, 2006

One of the more underappreciated goals Henry scored during his time with Arsenal is the one he scored against Real Madrid in 2006. The incredible nature of the goal and its relevance in Arsenal history see it enter the top five. 

Having never lost to an English team at home in European competition, the Champions League last-16 tie gave the Spanish giants a shock, as an injury-ravaged Arsenal side came out 1-0 winners—with you know who scoring the vital goal. And what a goal it was.

Minutes after the restart, Henry received the ball just over the halfway line. With an incredible burst of acceleration, he held off Ronaldo and skipped past Alvaro Mejia and opened a chance up for himself. But he still had a lot of work to do.

Holding off Guti, he managed to get a shot off before Sergio Ramos put in a last-ditch tackle, rifling the ball across the goal and into the far corner. 

With his arms outstretched, he ran along the byline nonchalantly staring at the Arsenal fans in the upper tier of the Bernabeu, which has become an iconic photo of their Champions League run that season. 

The first of several great scalps that season, Arsenal went on to defeat Juventus and then Villarreal in the latter stages to reach the final, where they were defied by Real Madrid's great rivals Barcelona in Paris.

But while the fairy tale was never completed, the goal against Real was summed up by the commentary of Peter Drury.

Casually filling time when Henry first gets the ball—not expecting anything to happen—his sudden rushed attempts to catch up with what was happening represented the way Henry could create something out of nothing.

This effort was a glorious demonstration of the pace, power and lethal finishing Arsenal fans became so familiar with.

2: Goal vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 2002

What's better than your legendary striker scoring an incredible solo goal? Your legendary striker scoring an incredible solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur. 

One of a number of superb solo goals Henry scored in an Arsenal shirt, the opposition play a big role in the selection of this one, as it is undoubtedly the one fans get the most joy from.

Picking up the ball just outside his own box, Henry started running. Thirteen seconds later, the ball was in the back of the net.

Perhaps the best bit about this goal is that no Spurs player even gets near him. Other than a little nibble when he crossed the halfway line, Henry appeared to have an impenetrable bubble around him as he glided across the pitch with no player able to touch him. 

While it may not be the most incredible demonstration of acceleration and power fans were used to, the way he almost mocked their bitter rivals with the ease at which he went past players is magnificent, finishing into the bottom corner while still running at pace.

The celebration is phenomenal too. It saw him run an excessive distance almost to where he picked the ball up, creating another iconic snap of him on his knees—this time in front of the Spurs fans. A Gooner's delight.

1: The Return of the King: Goal vs. Leeds United, 2012

Thierry Henry may have created moments that brought joy to Arsenal fans, moments that had them fist pumping, hugging their mates, running about the room fuelled by joy. But only once did he manage to collapse them into a collective emotional mop of happiness.

Returning on loan from New York Red Bulls in 2012, the FA Cup third-round clash against Leeds United was his first game for Arsenal as a fan. Brought back in hope that he could be the difference in the odd game, this is a Thierry Henry moment in which relevance the game itself doesn't actually matter, but this moment will last forever.

With Arsenal struggling to break down a stubborn Leeds side, Henry was called upon to replace Marouane Chamakh in the 68th minute, naturally greeted with a rapturous applause, with his new beard almost a representation of the return of an aged hero. For many Arsenal fans, just seeing him on the pitch in an Arsenal shirt again would have probably been enough. But of course, he went one better.

As Alex Song searched for a pass just outside the penalty area, you could see the player wearing number 12 peel off his man at the bottom corner of your screen. Spotting this, the Cameroonian midfielder played an inch-perfect pass.

Taking it under control with a typically effortless first touch, Arsenal fans knew exactly what was coming. Opening up his body, he side-footed delicately into the far corner in a way that he had done hundreds of times previously.

The goal sent the fans into delirium, a state Henry was also not far off. After prancing around off the pitch in front of his adoring supporters, he turned the corner and raised his head toward the sky, eyes closed, taking it what he had just done. 

He eventually ran into an Arsene Wenger embrace. For the fans, it was an intermingling of past and present—a moment plucked from years ago and placed into the present. 

It meant so much because it was something they had not seen for so long. The opening up of Henry's body was from a time when they were so much more successful. Arsenal haven't ever really found a man who can produce a comparable level of finishing—something they've been searching for in an attempt to return to past greatness. 

It may have been irrelevant. It may have been little more than nostalgic, but not many Arsenal fans would argue with the place this moment has in this list because of the place it holds in their hearts.