Allez Henry and Les Garcons in Green

THERE could be some va-va-voom in the green shirt of the Republic of Ireland if FAI officials manage to sweet-talk Thierry Henry and his bride-to-be some time in the future.

French world cup winner Henry is set to marry model and actress Nicole Merry in the next couple of weeks with the Arsenal striker already known to be keen on starting a family.

Nicole, 23, whose real name is Claire, featured with Henry in TV adverts for Renault which coined the phrase 'va-va voom' and also appeared in the sci-fi film The Fifth Element.

They share Henry's £5.95 million, 7,000sq ft, steel-and-glass six-bedroom modernist pad a house said to be similar to the one featured in the Renault commercial in the exclusive north London suburb of Hampstead.

More importantly, though, her mother Elaine is from Limerick, which raises the intriguing possibility of any Henry offspring being eligible for the Republic of Ireland under the grandparent rule.

The theory could be put to the test sooner rather than later because Henry has admitted that children are on top of his priority list and has been quoted as saying: "to me, the most beautiful thing in the world is when you see a woman pregnant".

But whether he wants his offspring to follow him into football is another matter, let alone allowing them to declare for Ireland.

Members of Mrs Merry's family, though, are clinging to the idea. Harry Cripps, a first cousin of Elaine Merry living in Cork, said: "I was talking to some friends the other night and just threw it into conversation that Claire was getting married to Thierry Henry. The lads thought I was messing but, with her mother coming from Limerick, it does mean their kids could play for Ireland under the grandparent rule.

"I'd say the FAI has some work to do though."

Maybe so, but for the moment, Irish fans can savour the possibility that a son of Papa and Nicole Henry could run out at Lansdowne Road to cheers of 'Come on you boys in green' rather than 'Allez Les Bleus'.