Arsenal exclusive: Thierry Henry was motivated to complete 2003/04 season unbeaten - after huge honour rejection

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry had a fire within him to keep the Gunners unbeaten, due to a major individual snub.

That's according to former Highbury vice-chairman David Dein, who brought the Frenchman to north London in 1999. Henry scored 228 goals while at Arsenal and 20 years ago this month, helped the Gunners to clinch a league title at White Hart Lane, before finishing the entire season without losing once.

Now, Dein has told FourFourTwo exclusively that he regards the iconic striker as a “perfectionist” – and he reckons that being overlooked for a personal honour helped drive him to bigger things while in the Premier League.

“Thierry was a perfectionist,” reflects Dein. “I think perhaps he was motivated because the year before, he was the runner-up in the Ballon d’Or to Pavel Nedved. 

“I think he believed he had something to prove.”

Henry's rejection by France Football for the gong remains one of the biggest robberies in the award's history. Still, Dein maintains that he's one of the best players of his generation and one that he always expected to produce something from nothing when he watched him play.

“He was one of those players that whenever he received the ball, you instinctively moved forward in your seat,” Dein continued. “You felt the expectation was there for him to do something special – and invariably, he did.”

More Arsenal stories

Arsenal have agreed a move for Joshua Kimmich, as per an incredible report.

Ousmane Diomande has apparently chosen Arsenal over Chelsea, while Joao Gomes is an option, too. Joshua Zirkzee is also said to be an option, Evan Ferguson has been tracked and Evanilson is being monitored by both the Gunners and Newcastle.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, meanwhile, has claimed he wishes to help with the Ukrainian war effort.