Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy are undoubtedly two of the greatest strikers to grace the Premier League, and their careers were marked by a memorable rivalry during their time at Arsenal and Manchester United, respectively.
Henry, a legendary figure for Arsenal, first joined the club in 1999 and played there until 2007. He later made a brief return in 2012. His impact and goal-scoring prowess earned him a place in the hearts of Gunners fans.
On the other hand, Van Nistelrooy donned the Manchester United jersey from 2001 to 2006. Throughout those years, the Dutchman found himself locked in competition with Henry, as both players vied for the prestigious title of top scorer in the English top flight.
In a recent revelation, Van Nistelrooy acknowledged that the intense rivalry he shared with Henry drove him to become a better player in the Premier League. Such rivalries often bring out the best in players, and the clash of these two top-class strikers undoubtedly added excitement and drama to the league during their respective tenures.
Their remarkable performances and goal-scoring feats have left a lasting impact on the history of the Premier League, and they continue to be celebrated as two of the finest forwards to have graced the English football scene.
Van Nistelrooy said to the PFA via The Daily Mail:
‘Thierry was pushing me.
‘Our rivals at the time were Arsenal, Chelsea and many more and they were pushing us as a club.
‘But also as individuals, all the great players of those teams push you and of course, when you are competing for the golden boot with a striker like Thierry then it pushes you to your limit.
‘And maybe vice versa but you’ll have to ask him.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
Henry and Van Nistelrooy served us some of the best memories in the Premier League era and that competition for the top spot among the goal-scorers improved both players.
Henry will remain one of the best-ever strikers in the competition and we hope we can sign another player who can score as many goals per season as he did.
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Ruud van Nistelroy might be a better striker but Thierry Henry is EPL’s greatest ever player. Period.