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Football icon Thierry Henry has taken to social media to address the "joke" he made when he asked Lamine Yamal whether the Kopa Trophy was the "one he really wanted" during the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, insisting he was not trying to test the teenager's "ego."
The French legend co-hosted the 70th Ballon d'Or awards on Monday, an event in which Harry Kane claimed the most coveted individual prize in football. Yamal finished third in the overall voting.
Earlier in the evening, Yamal collected the opening award of the night, claiming the Kopa Trophy as the best young player for an unprecedented third straight year. After delivering a brief speech in which he expressed his wish that the award had gone to his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí, Henry stepped in.
"That's your third one," Henry said. "But is it the one you really wanted tonight?" Henry was clearly referencing the teenager's well-known ambition to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The London Palladium Theatre burst into laughter, and Yamal let out a nervous chuckle before saying he wanted "all of them."
Henry faced sharp criticism on social media, with many interpreting his question as a slight against Yamal, with some even labeling it "disrespectful." One day after the ceremony, Henry came forward to address the backlash.
Henry: 'I Am a Big Fan of Lamine Yamal'
Lamine Yamal 🤝 Thierry Henry 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/hlSoC1bDzC
Henry quickly found himself at the center of the storm over his remarks, and it wasn't long before he offered a response. Rather than apologizing, he chose to explain his intentions.
"I want to clarify some things because some people got really worked up over essentially nothing," Henry said. "First and foremost, with Lamine Yamal, I wasn't testing his ego at all. I simply thought that since it was the third time he had won that [Kopa] trophy, I was just asking him if it was the one he truly wanted, and I got a laugh out of the crowd.
"We all knew what he was after. Unfortunately, he didn't get it. I'm a huge fan of Lamine Yamal; I wasn't challenging his ego at all. If you didn't find the joke funny, I can understand that, but please, don't go there. He's genuinely one of those players I would pay to watch. I love him.
"I was simply asking if it was the one he really wanted because I knew the main prize [Ballon d'Or] was coming up later and unfortunately he didn't win it. Because he's an incredible player and I enjoy watching him and I would pay to see him play."
But his exchange with Yamal wasn't the only contentious moment from Henry's Ballon d'Or hosting debut.
Henry Clarifies Controversy With Co-Host Kate Scott
Henry also found himself in trouble when he corrected fellow co-host Kate Scott on her pronunciation of "Socrates" while presenting the award named after the Brazilian legend.
The two have collaborated for years covering the Champions League for CBS Sports, and the Frenchman addressed the controversy by revealing that Scott was fully aware of the joke.
"Kate was in on the joke," Henry said. "And you can ask Kate, by the way. She did it on purpose, saying Socrates that way, and I had to correct it. Again, if you didn't get the joke, I understand, but please stop saying that I disrespected Kate. I would never do that."
The final point Henry addressed was his admission that, following Harry Kane's 2026 Ballon d'Or victory, he had always intended to root for his nominated French compatriot. Many viewed this as a slight toward the winner, so Henry moved to clear up any confusion.
"If you don't watch our show on CBS," Henry said. "Harry Kane the other day, after the Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal match, called me out for backing Kylian Mbappé. So I just told him that although I'm French and was always going to support my fellow countryman, I said to him: 'You are a worthy winner, you deserve it, you are the embodiment of what I always call work-ethic being a talent.'
"I said 'you are a worthy winner, well done, Harry Kane,' and I've been calling him Sir Harry Kane since the World Cup. So please, everyone out there, relax. I love Harry Kane, I love Lamine Yamal and I did not disrespect Kate."
Henry did his best to draw a line under the controversy. Now, only time will tell whether he returns to host the ceremony once again in 2027.