Henry honoured but Becks out of Time
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has been named by Time magazine as one of the world’s 100 most influential people – but Los Angeles-bound David Beckham did not make the cut.
The US-based magazine first published their list in 1999 and each year honour individuals divided into five groups – Leaders and Revolutionaries, Builders and Titans, Artists and Entertainers, Scientists and Thinkers, and Heroes and Icons.
Henry, 29, has been named in the latter section, but there was no room for the former England captain despite his big-money transfer to Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy.
NBA star Tony Parker, who captains the French basketball team, praised Henry’s contribution to race awareness in sport.
The San Antonio Spurs point guard said: “He wants to change the world. It’s no secret that European soccer is fighting a racism problem, in the crowd and on the field, and no player has done more to exorcise it than Thierry. His impact has been immense.”
Beckham did make the list in 2004 – alongside golfer Tiger Woods, British athlete Paula Radcliffe and Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong – but has failed to regain his place after resigning the England captaincy and then losing his place in the international team.
The other big name from European sport in the 2007 edition is world tennis number one Roger Federer, while New York Yankees pitcher Chien-ming Wang and Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy are also present.
