Henry pondered Les Bleus retirement after Euro 2004

THIERRY HENRY says he considered retiring from the international game after France’s disappointing performance at Euro 2004.

The 27-year-old believed it was his duty to carry on and support the younger players, however, after Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu and Lilian Thuram called time on their international careers.

“I thought about leaving after our disappointing performance at the European championship,” Henry said. “But it didn’t last very long and I brushed aside the idea.

“It was my duty towards the young players to be here. There are very gifted ones. It’s now up to them to gain experience and to improve themselves. But it comes to us, the old ones, to help them out. It’s the way it happened for me when I came here for the first time.

“There is a new generation coming up and there is a new squad to build up. I want to be part of this story.

“France need to be get back to winning ways and the sooner the better. We badly need a string of wins now,” he added.