Lots of pundits in this country had been predicting a Henry win, but really that's a bit of an Anglo-centric attitude (Anglo-Franco-centric, possibly). This award is decided by the votes of all the national team managers, and they don't see the same range of football that we do. The facts that Arsenal are the most attractive team in the world and Henry their most attractive player are well-known in this country, but perhaps not so well known across the globe. His competitors, Ronaldo and Zidane, play for the biggest team in the world, so their profile is automatically higher. Really, beating Ronaldo into second is some achievement for Thierry. The scores were: Zidane 264, Henry 186, Ronaldo 176. It was Zidane's third time, equalling Ronaldo's record.

To win this award playing for Arsenal would have been as hard as a player outside the top 3 winning the Premiership's equivalent. Maybe when we've won a few more big trophies, done a bit better in Europe, it'll be possible for an Arsenal player to be a shoe-in for something like this.

Anyway, we know he's the best, and that's what matters.

The official site have provided the chance for Arsenal fans to send him their messages of congratulations, see here

Rupe adds...
I know some Arsenal fans feel offended on Henry's behalf that he didn't finish first. Get over it! I'm sure it really doesn't matter to him and it shouldn't matter to us. If you understand how it's decided, you should be no more bothered about the winner of this than the winner of a "Richard and Judy" phone-in vote.

Rupe adds...
Henry also came second in the France Football European player of the year poll, this time to Pavel Nedved. Another midfielder, so for those of you to whom these things matter, sleep soundly in the knowledge that everyone agrees Thierry's the best striker (and of course, it's silly to compare people who play in different roles in the first place)