Arsenal icon Thierry Henry has revealed he's been suffering from depression for a number of years.
The Frenchman is regarded as one of the best players in Premier League history, having won two league titles during his time in north London.
Henry scored 226 goals during his first spell at Arsenal, joining from Juventus in 1999 before jumping ship to Barcelona eight years later.
He returned for a brief loan spell in January 2012 and added to his legacy with two goals in seven matches.
Arsenal icon Thierry Henry has opened up on his depression battle
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Henry also enjoyed success at Barcelona, propelling the club to treble glory in 2009 while playing under Pep Guardiola.
Now, however, the 46-year-old has candidly shed light on his depression battle.
Speaking on The Diary Of A CEO show, he said: "Throughout my career, I must have been in depression.
"Did I know it? No. Did I do something about it? Obviously no.
"But I had adapted in a certain way.
"I was lying for a very long time because society wasn't ready to hear what I had to say."
Henry then said that he had suffered from a 'lack of love and affection' when he was growing up.
"When I was young I didn't see a lot of love and affection," he said.
"My dad, the first time he took me in his arms, said, 'This baby will be an amazing football player'.
"And from that point I was programmed to succeed.
"My dad took full control of my body and it was tough.
"One day we played a game, I was 13 years old and we won the game 6-0.
"I scored all six goals but it was always what I didn't do. 'You missed that control' or 'You missed that cross'.
"And it can make you or break you.
"I decided it was going to make me."
Henry said he then confronted his demons during the coronavirus period, admitting 2020 changed his outlook.
"Everything came at once, especially during the Covid time," he said.
'I knew it before but I was lying to myself. I was making sure those feelings weren't going too far, I put the 'cape' on.
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Thierry Henry won two Premier League titles during his successful spell at Arsenal
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"But when you're not a player anymore, you can't put that 'cape' on anymore.
"We tend to run instead of facing our problems, that is what we do all the time. We try to stay busy, we try to avoid the problem or not think about it.
"Covid happened and I asked 'why are you running, what are you doing?' I was isolated and not being able to see my kids for a year was tough. I don't even need to explain that one.
"Something like that had to happen to me to understand vulnerability, empathy, crying.
"Understand that emotions are emotions. Anger is normal but don't become angry. Jealousy is normal but don't become jealous.
"I was crying almost every day for no reason, tears were coming.
Thierry Henry won the Champions League in 2009 following his departure from Arsenal to Barcelona two years previously
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"I don't know why but maybe they were waiting for a very long time.
"I don't know whether that needed to come out. It was weird, but in a good way.
"There was stuff I couldn't control and I didn't try to.
"You have been told since you're young, whether at home or in your job, 'don't be that guy, don't show you're vulnerable. If you cry, what are they going to think?"
"I was crying but, technically, it was the young Thierry crying. "He was crying for everything he didn't get."
