Football: ‘I Could Have Won Five Golden Boots In A Row But Chose Not To’

Thierry Henry has played down his natural ability as a goal-scorer, but insists he could have won five Golden Boots in a row had he been more selfish.

_Arsenal’s record scorer – and in the eyes of many, greatest ever player – was the Premier League’s top scorer in four out of five seasons between 2001 and 2006.

The only time he missed out on the gong was in 2002/03, when Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy pipped him to it.

The Dutchman scored 25 league goals that season while Henry scored 24 and assisted 23.

The World Cup winning Frenchman insists he could have won it that year too, but chose not to._


“I was a player that scored goals – I wasn’t a goal-scorer,” Henry told ShortList.

“I was making passes. I could have won five Golden Boots in a row. But, in 2003, in the last game versus Sunderland, I gave Freddie [Ljungberg] three goals.

“I’m battling with Ruud van Nistelrooy but I gave him three goals. Is that the sign of a guy that wants to win the Golden Boot?”

He added:

“I’m more proud of my assists than my goals. I’ve said it many times. I gave people penalties. With Edu [Gaspar], I gave him a penalty in his last league game [in which Henry himself didn’t score]. I was fighting with James Beattie, but that was better than winning the Golden Boot.

“If I had to score a goal, I’d score a goal. If I had to make a pass, I’d make a pass. I try to do the right thing at the right time.”