The angry young man
Under the eye of father Antoine, Henry learnt how to look after himself playing soccer in the street as a youngster, a fact he was keen to stress as he addressed reporters at Arsenal's lush training complex north of London.
"I think sometimes people do forget where I come from," he said.
"You always get aggro when you play on the streets. That's why you get tough. I always say there is no better school than the streets, it's the anger factor. You have to have that in you. The way I have been brought up and the way it was when I was young helped me to be what I am right now. That desire, that anger in the right way, drives me always.
"People deal with their stuff in different ways. All the time people talk about Ronaldinho smiling but I can tell you inside there are no smiles.
"When I play with family during the summer on the beach you will see the same guy, the same attitude. If I score I will take the mickey out of my dad, I will have a go at my brother. If my dad nutmegs me, I will kick him!
"It's nothing bad. I'm a happy man, trust me. It's just my way of seeing things.
"You can never reach perfection but I am trying to do it. That's the only way you can progress and get better. Trying to reach perfection will always keep you on your toes."