Thierry Henry's return- A legendary comeback

“Written in the stars, a million miles away.”  These lyrics from Tinie Tempah could not possibly be more appropriate than they were in Arsenal‘s 1-0 FA Cup victory against Leeds where the legend Thierry Henry scored the only goal of the match.

This was Henry’s first appearance for Arsenal since he left the club for Barcelona in 2007, and what better way to maintain his legendary status, than score the decisive goal against an admirable Leeds side at a packed Emirates Stadium. This was Henry’s 227th goal for Arsenal, but he is without a doubt their most prolific striker in modern history, although Robin van Persie is doing a great job filling the void left by the Frenchman.

Of course there were people who had doubts when Henry decided to rejoin The Gunners on a two month loan deal from the American side, New York Redbulls. Wasn’t it way too much of a risk for him to gamble his legendary status at Arsenal, only to fill in the gap for Marouane Chamakh during the African Cup of Nations? If he wouldn’t deliver, would that ruin the legend?

I myself was one of the doubters. I am not an Arsenal fan, but obviously I regard Thierry Henry as a legend in English football. A crucial part of “The Invincibles”, the striker was a great asset to the English Premier League for eight years. Was it worth the risk for him to come back? What if he wouldn’t score a single goal?

Oh boy, was I proven wrong or what! From now on, it doesn’t matter what will happen. It doesn’t matter if he will score a single goal in addition to yesterday’s. He came, he saw and he conquered. He only added to the legend by entering the field and scoring a magnificent match winner in the most prestigious cup tournament of them all.

I couldn’t help but get goosebumps as I watched the Frenchman enter the field, listening to the roars and cheers from the supporters at the Emirates. Multiply those goosebumps by ten and you can imagine how I felt when he scored – and I’m not even an Arsenal fan! I can‘t even imagine how Gunners fans are feeling right now, seeing the legend arriving after almost five years abroad and scoring on his second debut. It was really a joy to behold.

Moments like this make football what it is. You won’t experience this feeling in any other sport, I am sure.”The Return of the King” will live in the memories of Arsenal fans and football fans in general for a long way to come.