'Thierry was more Complete' —- France icon favours Arsenal legend Henry over Mbappe

Despite Kylian Mbappe's extraordinary achievements with France, Monaco, and Paris Saint-Germain, former French international and Arsenal legend Robert Pires believes that if his former teammate Thierry Henry were playing today, he would be better than the current Les Bleus captain.

Few players can go toe-to-toe with Mbappe, who has been crucial for both club and country, since he broke out as a teenager for Monaco in the 2016/17 season.

Mbappe’s impressive performances for club and country have made him a talismanic figure, poised to go down as one of the greatest players in football history, yet Pires believes Henry was even better.

In a discussion hosted by UEFA with Rio Ferdinand, Pires stated, “For me, Thierry was better than Kylian Mbappe. I love Mbappe [but] Thierry was a more complete [player].”

Pires, a 1998 World Cup winner alongside Henry, further emphasised his point by naming only two players he considered better than the former Arsenal striker: Les Bleus legends Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.

In addition to the 1998 World Cup, Henry and Pires also won the 2000 Euros with France, as well as two Premier League and two FA Cup titles with Arsenal, forming one of the most formidable teams in the Gunners’ history, and becoming cult heroes at the club.