"He was the one player I feared" - Chelsea icon John Terry names Arsenal legend as his toughest opponent
Chelsea hero John Terry has named Arsenal's legendary former striker Thierry Henry the toughest opponent he came across during his career. The two Premier League legends waged war during the 2000s and are regarded as two of English football's all-time greats.
Terry faced Henry 15 times and was given trouble in the majority of those games. The French icon bagged five goals and one assist in those matches, giving the Blues nightmares with his pace and agility.
The former Chelsea captain highlighted how he feared heading into games against the Gunners legend. He told GOAL on the day he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame:
"Henry was the toughest I've faced. For me it has to be Henry I think for longevity and what he'd done, he was the one player I feared going into games."
Henry is regarded as one of, if not, the greatest strikers in Premier League history. The prolific Frenchman registered 228 goals and 96 assists in 377 games across competitions, winning the title twice. He also won four Golden Boots and didn't just light up club football with Arsenal.
The Gunners' all-time top scorer also impressed at international level, winning the FIFA World Cup with France in 1998. He earned 123 caps, scoring 51 goals and providing 30 assists.
Henry also played for Barcelona, AS Monaco, and New York Red Bulls during his career. He retired in January 2015 and is now coaching France's U21s ahead of this summer's Olympics.
Chelsea icon John Terry gave a glowing two-word verdict of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka
Terry isn't only in awe of past Arsenal stars but also the current crop impressing under Mikel Arteta. The former England captain was asked to describe Gunners winger Bukayo Saka in two words (via TBR Football):
"Super talented."
Saka, 22, has been a revelation since making the step up to Arsenal's senior team. He's excelled this season, registering 20 goals and 14 assists in 46 games across competitions with his side top of the Premier League.
The 32-cap England international has also been a thorn in Chelsea's side when the London rivals have met. The pacey attacker has two goals and three assists in 10 games and has been on the winning side six times.
Saka continues to dazzle at the Emirates and lay claim to being the most exciting wideman in the English top-flight. It would have been interesting to see how he fared during Terry's era.