Sport: Soccer Country: France Category: Rumors

Thierry Henry responds to Landon Donovan's criticism during World Cup match

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 16, 2026, 9:31 PM

Last updated Jun 16, 2026

Thierry Henry responds to Landon Donovan's criticism during World Cup match

Summary

During halftime of the World Cup opener against Senegal on June 16, 2026, Thierry Henry reacted to Landon Donovan's comments. Donovan described the French team as 'arrogant' and 'casual' after a scoreless first half. Henry expressed his disagreement, urging focus on the game and defending the team's performance. In the second half, France scored three times, ultimately winning 3-1. Donovan later reiterated his critiques, highlighting expectations for the French team's performance as higher. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in postgame commentary, defended France, branding their demeanor as 'confident' rather than 'arrogant'.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•Thierry Henry defended France against Landon Donovan's criticism
•Match tied 0-0 at halftime
•France won 3-1 after scoring three goals in the second half
•Donovan aimed to express expectations for a better performance
•Zlatan Ibrahimovic labeled France 'confident' in response to the criticism

Latest Updates

9:31 PMYahoo Sports — Thierry Henry didn’t like Landon Donovan calling France ‘arrogant’ during World Cup opener

What they're saying

"
Fox’s World Cup coverage has added some international star power this year, meaning viewers got the unique opportunity to hear directly from French national team legend Thierry Henry at halftime of the squad’s opener against Senegal on Tuesday. With the match tied 0-0, Henry didn’t have much to celebrate. Instead, Henry was asked to respond…
— Yahoo Sports

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