- Henry said his “bad luck” comment was a joke about mixing team kits
- The former Arsenal star said Nigeria was never the target of his remark
- He stressed that he loves and respects Nigeria
Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry has clarified comments he made during the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a video involving popular streamer IShowSpeed sparked debate online.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the controversy began when IShowSpeed appeared wearing a United States jersey paired with Nigerian national team shorts. During a conversation with Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović, the unusual combination drew attention.
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While discussing the outfit, Ibrahimović pointed out that the streamer was mixing apparel from two different national teams. Henry then jokingly suggested that combining the kits could bring bad luck and advised him to wear a matching set.
The remarks quickly circulated on social media, with some viewers interpreting them as a negative reference to Nigeria.
Seeking to clear the air, Henry posted a video message on Instagram, insisting his comments had been misunderstood.
The former French international explained that his remark was based on a common sporting superstition about mixing team kits and had nothing to do with Nigeria itself.
According to him, he would have made the same joke if the shorts had belonged to France, Spain, Italy, or any other country.
Henry stressed that he holds Nigeria in high regard and has tremendous respect for its people and football fans, particularly the large community of Arsenal supporters in the country.
He reiterated that Nigeria was never the subject of the joke, emphasizing that his comment referred solely to wearing mismatched team gear.
The clarification came shortly after the United States opened their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-1 victory over Paraguay in Los Angeles, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice in the win.
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