Thierry Henry: I grew up among Algerians who only talked about Belloumi and Madjer

French football legend Thierry Henry has revealed an important aspect of his memories from his upbringing in the suburbs of Paris, recalling his relationship with the Algerian and African communities that had a clear influence on shaping his football culture. He also expressed his great admiration for the legendary Algerian duo Lakhdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer.

The former Arsenal, Barcelona, and France star spoke about the atmosphere he experienced in the 'Les Ouzils' neighborhood in the suburbs of Paris, where he absorbed a love for football amidst strong African and Arab communities, particularly the Algerian community, which introduced him to prominent names in the history of Algerian football.

Thierry Henry reminisces about his memories with Algeria legends Belloumi and Madjer.

During his appearance as a guest on the 'Kampo' podcast, hosted by Algerian-French journalist Ismaïl Bouabdellah, Thierry Henry recalled his memories with Algeria legends Lakhdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer, also mentioning Bashir Belloumi, the current star of Hull City.

The French football legend said: "I grew up among Algerians, and they only talked to me about Lakhdar Belloumi, whose son plays today in England, and it is indeed a wonderful story. There was also Rabah Madjer, who won major titles, including the UEFA Champions League, but everyone was talking about Belloumi."

Henry's memories did not stop at the names of Algerian players; they extended to the exceptional atmosphere experienced by the residents of the working-class neighborhoods in France as the African tournaments approached, led by the Africa Cup of Nations.

The former France star explained that the connection of the residents of those areas to their home countries made the tournament an exceptional event that transcends the continent, saying: "In France, most residents of the working-class neighborhoods have roots in other countries, and when the Africa Cup of Nations approaches, everyone knows it because of the atmosphere and the great excitement surrounding the tournament."

He added: "Even for us French people, the Africa Cup was a big event."

Thierry Henry's statements reflect the significant influence that African and Arab communities have had on his football formation, despite representing the France national team and winning major titles with them, including the World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

This testimony reveals the significant status that Lakhdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer hold in the memories of Algerians, not only within Algeria but also among the Algerian community who grew up in France, in appreciation of what the duo contributed to the 'Desert Warriors' national team and Algerian football.