The Arsenal legend saw his joke land the wrong way. Thierry Henry has issued an apology to Nigerians after facing backlash for a comment made during a World Cup broadcast on FOX Sports. The former France international was covering the United States’ 4-1 victory over Paraguay alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic when the controversy erupted.
During the segment, popular streamer IShowSpeed appeared on screen wearing Nigeria shorts paired with a United States Men’s National Team jersey. Henry reacted by saying, “I love Nigeria, but not today. Today is USA for you.” The moment quickly spiraled into a larger debate after Henry made a second remark following a Paraguay goal.
After Paraguay scored against the United States, Henry turned to IShowSpeed and said, “You see? You bring bad luck. That’s you bringing bad luck.” The comment referenced the streamer’s mixed outfit of Nigerian shorts and a US jersey. But many Nigerian fans did not find the moment funny.
Social media lit up with criticism. Fans described Henry’s remarks as offensive and disrespectful, arguing that he unfairly associated Nigeria with bad luck. The backlash grew quickly enough that Henry felt compelled to address it directly on camera.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona star released a video statement clarifying his intent. He explained that his comment was never about Nigeria itself. “I needed to clarify something because I don’t think people understand when you say stuff sometimes or when a joke is a joke,” Henry said.
He elaborated that his “bad luck” comment referred only to mixing outfit sets, not to any country. “Could have been the shorts of France, Italy or Spain, I would have said the same thing,” Henry explained. “I was just having a little joke with him, saying that it will be bad luck. Not Nigeria is bad luck, but to break the set, because you go as a set.”
Henry made a point to emphasize his genuine respect for the country. “I even said that I love Naija. And by the way, I do,” he said. “I have my respect for Nigeria and the people there. A lot of Arsenal fans, by the way, out there, so don’t misunderstand that stuff, please.”
He concluded with a clear message: “Nigeria is never bad luck. I was just saying breaking the set is bad luck with any other shorts.” The apology appears to have calmed much of the criticism, with many fans accepting his explanation as a simple misunderstanding blown out of proportion during a live broadcast.
