Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Do it French style

While reading an amusing piece about French and how she is spoke on another blog (no link because it's not for the more general public), I started thinking, because I am a great lover of things French (and the RWCs among us will just have to suck on that), what is my favourite phrase in French?

There is no doubt at all. That phrase is "Thierry Henry".

He is the most beautiful thing they ever placed on a football pitch, and probably the most beautiful thing this sad old world has to offer today.

You think I'm exaggerating?

I saw the highlights of Arsenal/Charlton last night. The ball was played to Henry, who was at an acute angle to goal, his back to it, and Fortune tight. Fortune was doing his manager proud, so tight was he to Henry, he was quite literally "up his arse" (as defenders are ordered to be by their managers).

So Henry, unable to turn, backheeled a goal I could not quite believe I was seeing.

The Charlton defence looked at one another. "Did he just score?" You could see them all thinking it. Not one of them could work out how.

Why do we love football? No one ever displays panache when they play baseball, for all their technical merit. No one ever shows elan on a gridiron field.

But Henry is panache in a red and white shirt. Vive Henry! Vive la France! Vive le foot!

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