Thierry Henry explains Lamine Yamal joke at Ballon d’Or gala

Thierry Henry has found himself at the centre of controversy over comments made to Lamine Yamal, who won the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive time. The award, which recognises the best young player in the world, was presented to the Barcelona youngster during the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

At the ceremony, Henry remarked: “This is your third one, right? But is this the one you really wanted tonight?” The comment drew laughter from the audience, but also criticism on social media, where many felt Henry was trying to embarrass the youngster over his aspirations of winning the Ballon d’Or, which ultimately went to Harry Kane.

Henry explains the joke in a video

Following the wave of criticism, Henry decided to clarify the situation in a video on social media, in which he expressed his fondness for Yamal. “My friends, it’s Thierry once again. I’ve seen a lot of people talking about the Ballon d’Or night, so I want to clear up a few things that got people really excited for nothing,” he said.

Henry stressed that “as for Lamine Yamal, I was not checking his ego in any way. I just thought that, since it was the third time he had won this trophy, I would ask him if it was what he really wanted.”

The former France striker expressed his admiration for Yamal, saying: “I’m a big fan of Lamine Yamal. I was not checking his ego at all. If people didn’t like the joke, I understand, but please don’t do that. He is one of the players I would pay to watch. I love him.”

Henry added that the real honour was still to come, but regretted that Yamal did not win the Ballon d’Or, calling him “a fantastic player I like watching”.

Praise for Harry Kane and support for Mbappé

The former France international also praised Harry Kane as a “worthy winner” of the Ballon d’Or and asked people to “relax” after his defence of Kylian Mbappé’s candidacy. “I’m French and I will always support my compatriot,” Henry concluded.

Henry’s words reaffirm his support for Yamal and highlight a healthy rivalry in the competitions for young talents in world football. What comes next for Yamal, now under added pressure as one of the game’s greatest prospects, will be closely watched by fans and critics.