Thierry Henry has responded to criticism over his hosting of the Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday, addressing remarks he made toward Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and co-host Kate Scott.
Henry, a former France and Arsenal forward, faced backlash for joking with Yamal about his third consecutive young player award, correcting Scott's pronunciation of Socrates, and stating he wanted Kylian Mbappe to win over Kane.
In a social media video on Wednesday, Henry said he is a big fan of Yamal and was not "checking his ego." He emphasized his admiration for the young Spaniard, calling him "one of the players I'd pay to watch."
Regarding the exchange with Scott, Henry claimed she was in on the joke about the pronunciation of Socrates' name. "She did Soc on purpose, and I said Soc, so please stop inventing stories," he said.
Henry also praised Kane as a "worthy winner" of the Ballon d'Or, noting he told Kane he deserves the award and called him "Sir Harry Kane." He urged people to relax, saying he loves both Kane and Yamal and did not disrespect Scott.
