FanHouse ThierryHenry

Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash presented the 2nd annual "Showdown in Chinatown" charity soccer event on Wednesday in downtown New York City. The game benefited the Steve Nash and Claudio Reyna Foundations, and was an 8-on-8 match filled with NBA and soccer greats. Predictably, NBA stars Chris Bosh and Grant Hill didn't fare as well as the likes of Thierry Henry and Edgar Davids. However, international hoopsters, Nash and Tony Parker, definitely held their own on the pitch. Okay, now I'm just name-dropping. Check out FanHouse's look at what was a fun, if not somewhat awkward, game of soccer. The video is below.

New York Red Bulls midfielder and former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna is expected to announce his retirement from professional soccer today.

Reyna, 34, became one of the Red Bulls' two Designated Players last year after a 12-year career in Europe, during which he played with Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City. Reyna scored 22 goals in 265 European club appearances. He also anchored the U.S. midfield during the 1998, 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. A string of leg and back injuries prevented him from playing this season for New York.

What's interesting about Reyna's retirement from an MLS perspective, though, is that the Red Bulls will not use Reyna's DP slot this year. That would open the door for someone like, say, Barcelona striker Thierry Henry to move to New York in 2009, right about the time that Red Bull Park would finally be ready. The Red Bulls might have to wait an extra year, though, as Henry's contract doesn't expire until 2010, and MLS prefers not to pay transfer fees.

Still, Reyna's retirement and Henry's love of New York City should keep that rumor spinning for quite some time.

Thierry Henry once said that he would love to live in New York City because he wouldn't get the kind of attention he gets in Europe.

"When I'm in America I can be myself, I have no eyes on me. If I want to stop and buy a slice of pizza, pay man and just sit on a bench I can do that."

After last night's "Showdown in Chinatown," he might want to rethink that notion. Adam Spangler at This is American Soccer noted that Henry had plenty of eyes on him -- perhaps even more than NBA stars like Steve Nash, Baron Davis and Jason Kidd, or former Red Bull Jozy Altidore. Adam has an excellent photo essay on the event here, and you can find some decent Flickr photo sets here and here.

Hey, New York Red Bulls supporters, want to get a preview of the next star striker your team will sign within about two years?

Barcelona forward Thierry Henry is schedule to join his pal Steve Nash and other NBA stars in a charity soccer match tonight in New York City. "The Showdown in Chinatown" will also feature Red Bulls midfielder Claudio Reyna, former Liverpool star Robbie Fowler, and NBA players Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa.

Nash put the game together to raise money for his foundation, but he got a welcome boost for his cause from Henry, thanks to France's dismal early exit from EURO 2008.

The 8-on-8 friendly kicks off at 5:30 p.m. tonight in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Admission is free, though I suspect Nash will gladly accept your donations.

(H/T: Goal)

In an obvious attempt to distract Seattle soccer fans from complaining about their choice of MLS franchise names, someone within MLS has leaked a rather juicy rumor -- Thierry Henry may be headed to the Emerald City.

Steven Cohen of World Soccer Daily reported today that the new Seattle MLS franchise is in "advanced negotiations" with the French striker and could lure him out of Barcelona in time for Seattle's inaugural season in 2009. Cohen did not reveal his source -- natch -- but did call it a "very good authority" on matters concerning Seattle. For all we know, though, Cohen ran into a very sloshed Drew Carey in a pub in Hollywood last night.

Either way, it's a rumor that has legs. For one, Thierry Henry has talked in the past about how much he loves America and would like to live here when his career winds down -- which appears to be happening already. Also, if anyone has enough money to bring a player like Henry to America, it's Paul Allen, one of the new Seattle franchise's principal owners. Allen could pay Henry's transfer fee with his petty cash drawer, and it would put fans in the seats instantly.

As part of FanHouse's never-ending effort to bring you more hot chicks paired with top athletes -- or guys who used to be top athletes, anyway -- here's Sex and Lucia star Paz Vega scoring a penalty on Barcelona striker Thierry Henry. Because how many footballers wouldn't let Paz Vega score on them?

You're welcome.

(H/T: The Offside)
Sorry, No Photos

Thierry Henry would like you to know that he may be the only Frenchman in the 21st century that doesn't hate America.

I think everybody knows that I love America. I always say one day I can play over there, I would love to. It's still early, but don't get me wrong. I just love the U.S., I don't know why. I love the way you live. I love American sports.

This comes from a man who once referred to American football as "throwball."

For me, it's like a dream in New York. For me, it's the best city in the world. ... I do get some recognition, but not like in Europe. When I'm in America I can be myself, I have no eyes on me. If I want to stop and buy a slice of pizza, pay man and just sit on a bench I can do that. It's difficult to do that in Europe.

You can already hear the rumor mill cranking up after this interview -- the rest of which is here -- and it's going to put the current France and Barcelona striker right next to Juan Pablo Angel in a New York Red Bulls uniform in about two years, thus furthering the notion that MLS is a retirement home for aging European soccer stars. At some point next decade, Wayne Rooney could become the most popular athlete in Philadelphia since Julius Erving. I can't wait to see that.

The FanHouse previously noted the Tiger Woods-Roger Federer Nike ad, but the world's best golfer and tennis player are back, this time with one of the world's best soccer players, Thierry Henry, in a commercial about ... razors.

Yeah, I thought it was kinda weird too. But it get's weirder: Henry replaces David Beckham as the spokesperson for Gillette Fusion Power Blades. I don't think that distinction much matters to the U.S.-viewing audiences. The Gillette folks could've replaced Becks with Eric Cantona and the "who the hell is that guy with Tiger and Roger?" response would've been the same.

It's not surprising to see professional athletes hawking random junk, but this seems so ... beneath Woods. I mean, he's all about American Express, fancy watches and old-people mobiles. Razor ads are something you do right after you declare bankruptcy and right before your two-week stint on Hollywood Squares. I'm not knocking Tiger -- it's not like he's decided to become a pro wrestler or something -- and I'm sure he got a nice chunk of change for a few hours' work, it's just bizarre.

If you're into this type of thing -- and I can't imagine you would be, but I thought the same thing about the American Office -- behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the commercial after the jump. Woohoo!

This was the scene Camp Nou yesterday as Thierry Henry was introduced for the first time as a member of F.C. Barcelona. This wasn't a game. It wasn't even a team practice. It was just the club introducing Henry as a newly signed player.

Apparently, nobody in Barcelona actually works for a living. Must be nice.

Thierry Henry's move to Barcelona may be official, but he wants you to know that, at least metaphorically, he's a Gooner for life. The video above was his going-away message to Arsenal fans, who knew this day was coming but didn't want to admit it until now.

Henry's arrival at Nou Camp means big things for this front line, which now features Henry, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi. Suffice to say, Barcelona is serious about this Champions League business, though it's starting to resemble an NFL team that's already aging and bringing in more aging veterans to give it one last go before the rebuilding process begins. Still, that's one awfully impressive front line...

UPDATE: A commenter here has suggested that Henry, Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi are all under 30. So perhaps it's not an aging frontline, but it sure seems like some of those guys have been around forever, doesn't it?

(H/T: Who Ate All the Pies)