Henry addresses Lamine Yamal joke
The legendary former striker, who shared the stage with his CBS Sports colleague Scott, raised eyebrows during the glitzy event with several pointed comments. One of the most discussed moments involved Barcelona sensation Yamal, who picked up yet another young player award. Henry teased the teenager on stage, asking: 'It's your third one, right? But is it the one you really wanted to win?' The remark drew an audible gasp from the audience in attendance, leading many to suggest the Frenchman was attempting to deflate the rising star's confidence on his big night.
However, Henry has moved quickly to clarify his intentions and shut down suggestions that he was being disrespectful to the Spanish international. He insisted that his words were meant in a light-hearted manner and that he remains a massive admirer of the youngster's unique ability on the pitch.
In a video posted to his social media channels on Wednesday, the former World Cup winner set the record straight regarding the Barcelona winger. 'I'm a big fan of Lamine Yamal. I wasn't checking his ego at all - that you didn't like the joke, I can understand. But don't do that, he's one of the players I'd pay to watch, I love him,' Henry said.
Defending the Kate Scott interaction
Beyond the interaction with Yamal, Henry also faced scrutiny for how he treated Scott, after correcting her pronunciation of Brazilian legend Socrates during the presentation. The 49-year-old responded to the criticism by claiming Scott was in on the joke herself, shortly before Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka was awarded the Socrates Award for his humanitarian and charity work.
'You didn't like the joke, I understand, but please stop saying I disrespected Kate,' Henry stated. 'I will never do that and you can ask her, she was on the joke with me. She did Soc on purpose, and I said Soc, so please stop inventing stories.'
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Backing Mbappe over Harry Kane
The controversy didn't stop with his co-host and the young players, as Henry also had to navigate his public preference for Kylian Mbappe to win the main prize over Harry Kane. While Kane eventually walked away with the trophy, ending a long wait for an English winner, Henry admitted on the night that he had been rooting for his compatriot.
'I'm French and I was always going to back up and support my fellow countryman,' Henry explained. 'I said to [Kane], 'You are a worthy winner, you deserve it, you are the example that work ethic is a talent, working hard is a talent'. Well done, Harry Kane - and I call him Sir Harry Kane since the World Cup. So please, people out there, relax, relax. I love Harry Kane, I love Lamine Yamal and I didn't disrespect Kate. She was on the joke with me.'
Kane ends England's 25-year Ballon d'Or drought
Kane captured his first-ever Ballon d'Or, ending England's long wait for the prestigious accolade since Michael Owen last claimed it in 2001. The award comes on the heels of an extraordinary season with Bayern Munich, where he secured a domestic double and picked up the European Golden Shoe, while also guiding the German giants to the Champions League semi-finals and captaining England to a third-place finish at the World Cup.