Anyone who watches the English Premiership on a weekly basis would say, without question, that Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has been the best player in the league the last few seasons. He makes football look easy -- which it isn't -- and routinely turns in sublime performances. With his Gallic shrugs, electrifying pace and Nuryev-like grace, Henry alone is worth the price of admission. But he always looked a different (and lesser) player for France. His runs often seemed labored, and the tactical constraints of the international game seemed to take away some of his va va voom.
But against Brazil on Saturday, the Henry we see on display in England was out there on the pitch. Yes, he scored the goal, but he took the game by the scruff of its neck with his exuberant runs and energetic grace. If France win the World Cup (and it will be Les Bleus vs. Germany in the final), Henry might just earn his place in the pantheon of the game's true greats.
