Former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry has defended himself after criticism over the way he hosted Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Frenchman, who has come under fire for remarks he made towards Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, overall winner Harry Kane and co-host Kate Scott on the night, has taken to social media to address what he said was “people getting really excited about nothing”.
Henry, who was presenting the ceremony alongside CBS Sports colleague Scott, joked with Yamal about him winning a third successive young player of the year award, corrected Scott’s pronunciation of Brazil legend Socrates’ name and admitted he wanted fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe to beat Kane to the top prize.
Addressing the Yamal situation, which received an audible reaction from the audience in attendance, Henry said he wasn’t “checking his ego” and emphasised his admiration of the young Spaniard.
On the night, he teased Yamal by saying of his young player award: “It’s your third one, right? But is it the one you really wanted to win?”
Speaking on Wednesday, he said: “I’m a big fan of Lamine Yamal. I wasn’t checking his ego at all – that you didn’t like the joke, I can understand.
“But don’t do that, he’s one of the players I’d pay to watch, I love him.”
The 49-year-old also responded to criticism over his response to co-host Scott’s pronunciation of ‘Socrates’, claiming she was in on the joke herself.
“You didn’t like the joke, I understand, but please stop saying I disrespected Kate,” Henry said.
“I will never do that and you can ask her, she was on the joke with me. She did Soc on purpose, and I said Soc, so please stop inventing stories.”
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka won the Socrates Award for his humanitarian and charity work.
Henry added Kane was a “worthy winner” of the Ballon d’Or before telling everyone to “relax” after his support of Mbappe’s claim to the prize.
“I’m French and I was always going to back up and support my fellow countryman,” he said.
“I said to [Kane], ‘You are a worthy winner, you deserve it, you are the example that work ethic is a talent, working hard is a talent’. Well done, Harry Kane – and I call him Sir Harry Kane since the World Cup.
“So please, people out there, relax, relax. I love Harry Kane, I love Lamine Yamal and I didn’t disrespect Kate. She was on the joke with me.”