No other player has managed this hat-trick in the 59 years since the award was conceived. Henry had already become the first player to win it in consecutive seasons, in 2003 and 2004 (last year it was won by Chelsea's Frank Lampard).

"I have always stated I want to make history, so to be recognised as a foreign player in a country where it is never that easy to be accepted, it is something extraordinary," he said.

"I am quite proud of that and this is dear to my heart, it is something special. Now people will expect much more from me, be more demanding. But I would like to recall that without Arsenal all this would not necessarily have been possible."

Expect more from the best player in the world?! Just play your best in Paris, Thierry, no-one could expect more than that.

Paul Hetherington, Chairman of the FWA, said that Henry's achievement, "ranks him up there as the greatest player in the 59-year history of the award." But as always, Henry refused to make it all about himself. "As I always say, in football it's all about the team and without my team-mates I would not have won this award".

The other Arsenal players to have achieved this honour are Joe Mercer, Frank McClintock, Dennis Bergkamp, and Robert Pires.

A few players were equal with Thierry in having won it twice: Gary Lineker, John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish, Stanley Matthews, Danny Blanchflower, and Tom Finney. See FWA site for a full list of winners/