Martinez taps Henry as assistant for Belgium
Print Edition
FORMER France striker Thierry Henry was appointed as an assistant to new Belgium coach Roberto Martinez yesterday as the talent-packed team seeks to shake off its underachiever tag.
Martinez, announcing his first squad since taking over from Marc Wilmots after Euro 2016, said that Henry, France’s all-time top scorer and winner of the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship, is “very keen to join and make sure he can pass on his experience”.
Belgium went into the European Championship in France as a title favorite, but was shocked by Wales 1-3 in the quarterfinals.
Henry reacted to his surprise appointment in a tweet: “Thanks to Roberto Martinez & the Royal Belgian Football Association. Very excited. Can’t wait.”
The 39-year-old Henry also won two league titles each with Arsenal and Barcelona, and the Champions League with Barcelona in 2009.
Martinez focused on Henry’s role in the team that won the World Cup on home soil in 1998. “Thierry Henry brings something completely different,” Martinez said. “He’s someone that has been in the situation of having to develop a mentality as a team. To change the dream of winning something special. He did that with his country back in ‘96, leading up to ‘98.”
Martinez’s and Henry’s first match on the Belgium bench is against the new head coach’s home country, Spain, on Thursday in Brussels followed by a World Cup qualifier on September 6 against Cyprus in Nicosia.
New Spain coach Julen Lopetegui, meanwhile, has dropped longtime captain Iker Casillas for the start of 2018 World Cup qualifying as his team prepares for the friendly against Belgium and a qualifier against Liechtenstein on September 5.
Casillas has a team-record 167 matches for Spain, although the 35-year-old goalkeeper didn’t play a minute of the European Championship because he was David de Gea’s backup.
Lopetegui said Casillas could return to the team, however.
“Iker is an icon, both past and present, but in this case we decided that our starting goalkeeper will be De Gea. But in no case does this close the door for Iker. We will be watching his performance level closely.”
Since his debut in 2000, Casillas has manned Spain’s net through its unprecedented run of three major titles — the 2010 World Cup in between the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
