In an interview today, French Olympic team captain Alexandre Lacazette fondly expressed his admiration for his idol Henry and looked ahead to the prospects of the French Olympic team at this year's Games. As Arsenal's legendary striker and current France U23 skipper, Henry has not only inspired Lacazette on and off the field, but has also been an important guide in his career.
Talking about the admiration for Henry
Lacazette did not hide his admiration for Henry, saying bluntly: "Henry is my idol - I have reiterated this more than once. When he played for Arsenal, I often watched his games, I was still young, he was like a legend, deeply influenced me. Later, I was able to join Arsenal and was persuaded and inspired by him." Lacazette's career at Arsenal saw him fail to reach the heights of Henry's goal tally (who scored 226 goals), but he still went on to become the team's captain and marquee player thanks to his 71 goals and stellar performances. Now, captaining the French Olympic team under Henry is even more of an honor and inspiration for Lacazette.
Talking about returning to the national team
Lacazette has not played for the French national team since 2017, so it means a lot to him to be back in the blue jersey. He said, "It means a lot to me to play for the national team again. We all have the same ambition, which is to go all out to win a medal and we are aiming for at least a medal, preferably in gold. The fact that this Olympics is being held on home soil will definitely give us more motivation and incentive."
Talking about Henry's coaching style
Talking about Henry's coaching style as a coach, Lacazette said, "The coach wants us to play an attacking, ball-control style of soccer. Tactically, he is clearly forward-looking ...... He especially wants us to enjoy the process of the game and give a great performance for the audience." Henry's this coaching philosophy is not only in line with the development trend of modern soccer, but also loved and embraced by the players. Under the leadership of Henry, the French Olympic team showed a strong cohesion and fighting force.
Summary and outlook
In the warm-up matches, Lacazette was outstanding in the first two matches, collecting two goals, but unfortunately had a poor performance in the last match against Japan, wasting chances repeatedly. However, this has not affected his confidence in the upcoming Olympic games. With France's opening match coming up, both Lacazette and Henry are well prepared. They believe that under Henry's leadership, the French Olympic team will be able to shine in this year's Olympics, bringing honor and joy to the country and its fans.
