9 February 2007 - Yes, I Know I Spoiled The Ending

On 9 February 2007, Goal II: Living the Dream opened in Ireland and the UK, starring Kuno Becker and a host of Real Madrid and Arsenal players.

The second part of a trilogy, the film follows Becker's character, footballer Santiago Muñez, as he moves from Newcastle United to Real Madrid. The movie builds to the Champions League final, with Real Madrid facing Arsenal and coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.

In addition to Becker, the cast included several real-life players from both clubs, such as David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Iker Casillas, Thierry Henry, and Cesc Fabregas. It also featured actor Nick Cannon as fictitious Arsenal star T.J. Harper.

With a budget of approximately £10 million, the movie did poorly at the box office, taking in only £326,807 in its opening weekend and grossing under £1 million in the first week. Nor did it fare well with critics, with a current rating of 39% on RottenTomatoes.com. Audiences were kinder, however, rating it at 62%.

6 January 2012 - Apparently, You Can Go Home Again

On 6 January 2012, Arsenal confirmed the return of striker Thierry Henry, the club's all-time leading goalscorer, on loan.

Henry played for the Gunners from 1999 to 2007, making 369 appearances and scoring 226 goals. While there, he won two league titles (including the undefeated "Invincibles" run in the 2003-04 season) and three FA Cups before leaving for Barcelona in a deal worth €24M. He continued to collect silverware in Spain, with a record six-trophy haul in 2009 that included the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League.

Arsenal, however, had failed to win any trophies after Henry's departure. Halfway through the 2011-12 season, as a rocky start left them struggling to capture a Champions League qualification spot, they looked to Henry, who had by then moved to the New York Red Bulls.

He joined them in January for a two-month loan. On 9 January, he made his first appearance, coming on as a substitute to score the only goal in a FA Cup win over Leeds United. He went on to make another six appearances and scored again in his final match, a 1-2 away win over Sunderland, before returning to New York.

25 September 2002 - Arsenal's Quick Silva

On 25 September 2002, midfielder Gilberto Silva scored a record goal to help Arsenal cruise past PSV in the Champions League group stage.

PSV hosted the Gunners in Eindhoven for the game, which was the second of the tournament for both teams. Arsenal took the opening kick-off and Silva immediately raced unmarked down the center of pitch, where he received a cross from teammate Thierry Henry, then knocked the ball into the net. The official time for the goal was 20.07 seconds, making it the fastest goal in European Cup/Champions League history up to that point, narrowly beating Alessandro del Piero's time of 20.12, set in a 1997 match for Juventus against Manchester United.

The day did not get any better for PSV. After Arsenal keeper saved their best chance of the day--a 22nd-minute shot from Mateja Kezman--the hosts went on to surrender three more goals to Freddie Ljungberg (66') and Henry (81', 90') and lost 0-4.

PSV did better in the return leg, holding Arsenal to a scoreless draw in London, but the result eliminated them from the competition. Arsenal advanced, but were knocked out in the second group stage.

Silva's record lasted until March 2007, when Bayern Munich's Roy Makaay scored against Real Madrid after only 10.12 seconds.

1 October 2000 - Henry's Super Strike

On 1 October 2000, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry raised his profile with a stellar goal against Manchester United.

Henry had already established himself as a top class scorer the previous season, his first in England, by providing 26 goals in 47 appearances. But although there were some excellent strikes, nothing compared to the one he launched against Manchester United in October 2000.

United, the defending Premier League champions, were sitting at the top of the table when they visited Highbury, while the Gunners were three points back in fourth place. After half an hour, the match was scoreless when Henry struck. Positioned about 20 yards out with his back to the goal, he received a pass from defender Gilles Grimandi. With United defender Denis Irwin closing in, Henry's first touch flicked the ball into the air. Then, in one motion, he pivoted toward the goal and shot the ball.

It followed a high arc, curling across the goal and falling into the top right corner. United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez was caught completely off-guard and was unable even to make a play for the ball. It turned out to be the match winner, though United repeated as champions with Arsenal a distant second.

1 July 2006 - Brazil's Dynamic Duo Bids Farewell

On 1 July 2006, two football legends played their last match for Brazil, finishing as the national team's first and second most-capped players.

The occasion was Brazil's game against France in the World Cup quarterfinals. The Seleção line-up that day included right back--and captain--Cafu and left back Roberto Carlos. Roberto Carlos earned his first cap in 1992. He did not play in the 1994 World Cup, but won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil. Cafu, meanwhile, first played for Brazil in 1990 and was a member of both the 1994 and 2002 World Cup-winning sides. In 2006, they were part of a defense that had conceded only a single goal in the tournament up to that point, in a 4-1 group stage victory over Japan.

Unfortunately for Brazil, they conceded another goal--the only one of the match--against France. It came in the 57th minute as striker Thierry Henry connected with a Zinedine Zidane cross and slammed it into the roof of the net. France won 1-0 and Brazil were eliminated.

Afterward, both Cafu and Roberto Carlos drew criticism for the loss. Some commentators claimed that Cafu had passed his prime and should not have been included in the team for the tournament. Others blamed Roberto Carlos for failing to mark Henry on the goal. Both players then retired from the national team, though Cafu continued to play club ball until 2008. Roberto Carlos remains active and currently plays Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala.

The match was Cafu's 142nd for Brazil, making him their most-capped player. It was the 125th for Roberto Carlos, placing him in second. They are both well ahead of the closest active player, Lucio, who currently has 105.

17 May 2000 - Turkish Delight

On 17 May 2000, Galatasaray won their first European trophy, defeating Arsenal on penalties to win the UEFA Cup Final.

Despite the presence of several prolific goalscorers--including three-time Süper Lig golden boot winner Hakan Şükür and Arsenal's Thierry Henry--and gifted playmakers like Gheorghe Hagi and Dennis Bergkamp, the first half was a dour affair that saw the referee issue four yellow cards (two to each team). The second half was little better, as both sides squandered chances and the referee issued four more cautions (three to Galatasaray and one to Arsenal).

Arsenal gained an advantage in extra time as Hagi received a straight red card for punching Tony Adams. The Gunners pressed forward for the match-winner and almost got it, but Galatasaray's Brazilian keeper Taffarel denied Henry's point-blank header.

In penalties, Galatasaray's first three shooters converted, while two of Arsenal's shots were denied by the woodwork. With the Turks leading the shootout 3-1, center back Gheorghe Popescu's kick beat David Seaman for the win.

Galatasaray went on to beat Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup that summer. Arsenal, meanwhile, returned to a European cup final exactly six years later, losing to Barcelona in the Champions League.

13 December 2008 - When The Paradigm Shifted In Spain

On 13 December 2008, Barcelona won their first Clásico in almost three years, beating Real Madrid 2-0.

Since suffering a 3-0 loss to Barcelona on 19 November 2005, the Merengues rattled off a five-match unbeaten streak that included three wins and two draws, all in the league.

The last match of that run was the worst for Barcelona as, on 5 May 2008, Real Madrid won 4-1 at the Bernabéu with goals from Raúl (12'), Arjen Robben (20'), Gonzalo Higuaín (62'), and Ruud van Nistelrooy (77') (Barcelona's lone goal was an 86th-minute consolation strike from Thierry Henry). It was the final nail in the coffin for Barça manager Frank Rijkaard, as the club announced shortly afterward that he would be replaced at the end of the season by youth team coach Pep Guardiola. Real Madrid, meanwhile, went on to claim their second consecutive La Liga title

Guardiola duly took over the following month and immediately began to reshape the team by offloading a number of players, including two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho. After an opening day loss to Numancia, Guardiola's Barcelona went unbeaten in their next thirteen league matches, with eleven wins and two draws. They were at the top of the table on 13 December when they hosted Real Madrid for Guardiola's first Clásico as manager. It was close until the last few minutes, when goals from Samuel Eto'o (83') and Lionel Messi (90') delivered a 2-0 victory.

Barcelona extended their unbeaten streak against Madrid to seven league matches, with six wins and one draw, before finally losing in April 2012. During that run, they also went undefeated against their rivals in the Champions League and the Supercopa de España, getting a win and a draw in each of those competitions.

18 November 2009 - Henry's Hand Gives Ireland The Finger

On 18 November 2009, France secured their place at the 2010 World Cup thanks to one of football's most controversial goals.

Facing Ireland in a playoff after both finished second in their respective qualification groups, France were heavily favored to advance. They won the first leg in Dublin, 0-1, so that they needed only a draw in Paris to advance. But a 32nd-minute goal from Irish striker Robbie Keane put the visitors ahead. Les Bleus desperately searched for an equalizer, but were repeatedly denied by the brilliant play of keeper Shay Given.

With the sides level at 1-1 on aggregate at the end of regulation, the match went into extra time, when a Florent Malouda free kick found forward Thierry Henry in the box. Henry clearly controlled the ball with his left arm, before centering it for defender William Gallas, who knocked it home. Given and the other Irish players immediately protested, but the referee allowed the goal to stand.

Time then expired with Ireland unable to find another goal, so France won 2-1 on aggregate. After the match, Henry admitted to using his hand, but downplayed his responsibility, saying "I'm not the ref." Ireland petitioned FIFA for a replay, but were denied.

Although frustrated by the loss, Irish supporters took a measure of solace from France's poor World Cup performance, as Les Bleus managed only one draw and two losses and were eliminated in the group stage.

17 August 1977 - Baby Bleu

On 17 August 1977, Thierry Henry was born in the Paris suburb of Les Ulis, Essonne. He would go on to be named a five-time French Player of the Year while also becoming the French national team's greatest goalscorer.

Henry made his professional start in 1994 with AS Monaco, after being brought in as a youth player by then-manager Arsène Wenger. He helped Monaco win Ligue 1 in 1997, then advanced to the Champions League semi-final in 1998. He left Monaco in January 1999, transferring to Juventus for £10.5 million, but failed to settle in Italy and moved to Arsenal seven months later, where he was reunited with Wenger.

At Arsenal, Henry blossomed into a world-class striker, winning the Premier League's Golden Boot in four different seasons. He also helped Arsenal win two League titles and three FA Cups. In 2006, Henry and Arsenal advanced to the Champions League Final, losing 2-1 to Barcelona. He moved to Barcelona in 2007, where he eventually won the Champions League in 2009.

Henry earned his first cap for France in 1997 and won the World Cup the following year. Before his international retirement in 2010, he scored a record 51 goals in 123 appearances for Les Bleus.

Henry moved to the United States in 2010 and played for the New York Red Bulls until his retirement in 2014.

11 June 2002 - Adieu, Les Bleus

On 11 June 2002, defending World Cup champions France were eliminated from the 2002 tournament with a 2-0 loss to Denmark in their final group stage match before a crowd of 48,100 at Korea's Incheon Munhak Stadium. Les Bleus finished at the bottom of their group with a single point, having gone scoreless in all three matches.

France started the day still in contention for the group's second place, needing a win against Denmark and a Uruguay win over Senegal. The French attack, however, was impaired by the absence of prolific striker Thierry Henry, who had been sent off in the previous match after a dangerous sliding tackle. And despite the presence of other French stars on the pitch, including Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desailly, Patrick Vieira, and David Trezeguet, Les Bleus struggled to create pressure on the Danish goal.

The Danes had no such problem, taking a 22nd-minute lead with a strike from PSV winger Dennis Rommedahl (pictured, top). Striker Jon Dahl Tomasson (pictured, bottom), who had scored the match-winner for Feyenoord in that year's UEFA Cup, added a second in the 67th minute to seal the win.

Denmark advanced only to be eliminated by England 0-3 in the first knockout round.

17 May 2006 - Clash Of The Titans

On 17 May 2006, Barcelona defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League Final, played at the Stade de France in Paris. It was the second European Cup/Champions League trophy for the Catalonians, who added a third in 2009, a fourth in 2011, and hope to make it five next month.

The match was hyped as featuring two of the sport's greatest players at the time - Barcelona's Ronaldinho and Arsenal's Thierry Henry. But the match's first goal was scored by Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who headed in a 35th-minute free-kick to give the Gunners a surprising lead - surprising because the English side were down to ten men after keeper Jens Lehmann had been sent off in the 7th minute for fouling Barça's Samuel Eto'o outside the box.

Despite being a man down, the Gunners held on to their advantage through the remainder of the first half and deep into the second, while still attacking the Barcelona goal. The next goal, however, was Barcelona's, as midfielder Andrés Iniesta played a long pass to Eto'o, who scored a 76th-minute equalizer. Four minutes later, a Barcelona cross found second-half substitute Juliano Belletti, who fired the ball through Almunia's legs for the lead and the win.

Leading up to the match, several rumors circulated about Barcelona's interest in signing Henry. He eventually signed with them in 2007 and went on to win the Champions League with them in 2009.

13 February 1999 - A Lesson For France Unheeded

On 13 February 1999, Nigerian forward Kanu made a memorable—and controversial—debut for Arsenal, who had just signed the 22-year old from Inter earlier that month.

The Gunners were hosting Sheffield United in the 5th round of the FA Cup and had taken a 1-0 lead thanks to a 28th-minute goal from midfielder Patrick Vieira. Sheffield United equalized shortly after the break with a 48th-minute header from Brazilian forward Marcelo, so the score was even at 1-1 when Kanu (above at far left) came on in the 66th minute.

With about 10 minutes left in the match, a United player went down with an injury just as Dennis Bergkamp was chasing down a ball played back to the United keeper. The keeper kicked the ball into touch and the official halted play briefly while the injured player received treatment. When Arsenal's Ray Parlour took the ensuing throw, most of the players on the pitch expected him to give possession back to United.

Nobody told Kanu, however, who received the throw and raced down the field and crossed the ball for his teammate, winger Marc Overmars (above, second from left), to slot home. United's players and staff protested, but the goal stood and Arsenal emerged 2-1 winners.

After the match, Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger agreed that the final goal had been scored unfairly and proposed that the match be replayed. After some initial hesitation, the FA relented and the replay was held ten days later at Highbury, where Arsenal again won 2-1.

When former Gunner Thierry Henry later scored a controversial goal for France to eliminate the Republic of Ireland from 2010 World Cup qualification, Wenger urged his home country to offer a replay, but the FFF declined.

21 January 2007 - A Celebration Coach Might Not Be A Bad Idea

On 21 January 2007, Arsenal staged a dramatic comeback win against Manchester United at the Emirates, but the Gunners paid a steep price for the three points (and in ridiculous fashion).

United entered the match at the top of table, 15 points clear of fourth-place Arsenal, and were looking to avenge their 0-1 loss to the Gunners from September. United had their chances in the first half, but were repeatedly denied by Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann. They took a deserved lead in the second half, however, when forward Wayne Rooney scored with an unmarked header in the 59th minute.

The Gunners continued to attack and received an 83rd-minute equalizer from striker Robin van Persie, who had come on in the 67th minute. Ten minutes later, with United visibly tired and frustrated, Thierry Henry headed in the game winner.

Arsenal's joy at the win was dampened when it was later revealed that van Persie broke a bone in his foot while celebrating his goal. The season-ending injury was a crushing blow, as the Dutchman was the Gunners' leading scorer at the time. Arsenal won only 8 of their next 23 matches in all competitions and finished the season without any silverware.

18 October 2005 - Henry's Record Goal

On 18 October 2005, Thierry Henry scored a brace to lift Arsenal past Sparta Prague on the third matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage. In doing so, he passed former record holder Ian Wright to become the club's top goalscorer.

The match was played at Sparta Stadium in Prague before a crowd of over 12,500. Arsenal were heavy favorites, on top of the group with two wins, while Sparta were on bottom with a draw and a loss. Henry, who had just come off a near six-week layoff due to a groin injury, put Arsenal ahead in the 21st minute, tying Ian Wright's Arsenal scoring record of 185. The record-breaking 186th goal came in the 74th minute, as Henry calmly controlled a long ball with his heel, then curled the strike in from the edge of the area.

Arsenal made it to the Final in Paris that year, but lost to Barcelona, 2-1.

Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007, after amassing a total of 226 goals for the Gunners. He returned in 2011-12 on loan from the New York Red Bulls and scored another two goals, taking his total for the club to 228.

27 September 2008 - Barça Makes Every Second Count

On 27 September 2008, Barcelona defeated Espanyol 1-2. Barça winger Lionel Messi scored the winning goal with a controversial penalty kick in the 14th minute of stoppage time.

The home side received an early gift in the 19th minute when Barça keeper Victor Valdes failed to secure a high ball and spilled it to the feet of Espanyol forward Ferran Corominas, who tapped it home. Their fortunes turned, however, when winger Anderson Nene was sent off right before the break. Nene, who had been carded earlier in the match, was booked a second time for elbowing Barça midfielder Sergio Busquets in the 45th minute.

Down to ten men, Espanyol defended bravely in the second half, with keeper Carlos Kameni making several brilliant saves. In the 70th minute, the referee halted the game and the players were taken off the field due to incidents in the stands. After a break of approximately seven minutes, the match resumed.

In the 84th minute, Kameni parried a shot from forward Thierry Henry, but it rebounded off a defender and back to Henry, who claimed the second-chance goal. The teams were deadlocked deep into stoppage time when Barça substitute forward Samuel Eto'o was tripped in the penalty area by Espanyol defender Nicolas Pareja in the 13th minute of added time. Although the contact appeared minimal, Barça were awarded the penalty, which Messi easily converted. The whistle blew almost immediately afterward.

The win was a landmark victory in a season that saw Barça claim both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.

14 February 2005 - The United Nations Of Arsenal

On 14 February 2005, Arsenal fielded the first all-foreign side—including subs—in English football history and won 5-1.

Arsenal, the defending league champions, were hosting newly-promoted Crystal Palace. Their team sheet included players from eight different countries, but not a single one from the United Kingdom. France had the most with six (Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Gael Clichy, Pascal Cygan, and Mathieu Flamini), followed by Spain with three (José Antonio Reyes, Cesc Fabregas, and Manuel Almunia) and the Netherlands with two (Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie). The other countries included Germany (Jens Lehmann), Cameroon (Lauren), Ivory Coast (Kolo Toure), Brazil (Edu), and Switzerland (Philippe Senderos).

It wasn't much of a contest, as the Gunners were up 3-0 at the break with goals from Bergkamp (32'), Reyes (35'), and Henry (39'). Vieira added a fourth (54') before Crystal Palace finally got on the board when Andrew Johnson struck from the penalty spot (63'), then Henry scored again (77') to seal the final 5-1 margin.

3 August 1999 - Remember When Wenger Used To Sign New Players?

On 3 August 1999, Arsenal signed 22-year old striker Thierry Henry from Juventus for a reported fee of £11M. He went on to become the club's all-time leading scorer.

The French international started his career at Monaco in 1994, when he was signed by manager Arsène Wenger. While there, he scored 28 goals and provided 37 assists in 141 appearances as Monaco won both the league title and the Trophée des Champions in 1997. That success led to a £10.5M transfer to Juventus in January 1999, but he failed to adapt to Serie A and left after only half a season.

Arsène Wenger, who had moved to Arsenal in 1996, brought Henry to London, using some of the £23.5M the club had just received from Real Madrid for the sale of Nicolas Anelka. At the time the signing was announced, Wenger said "He is a young international striker who will be a great asset to Arsenal Football Club. He has good experience of both club and international football and will considerably strengthen our firepower."

And Henry delivered, scoring a club-record total of 226 goals between 1999 and 2007 while leading the club to two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. He was the league's top scorer in four different seasons and was the French player of the year five times while at Arsenal.

He left the club in 2007 for Barcelona, and then the New York Red Bulls, but returned for a loan spell in 2012 and added another two goals to his club total.

22 July 2010 - Familiar Faces In Unfamiliar Places

On 22 July 2010, Thierry Henry scored on his debut for the New York Red Bulls in a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur.

Henry was a constant thorn in Tottenham's side from 1999 to 2007, when he played for their rivals Arsenal, winning two league titles and three FA Cups and finishing as the league's top scorer in four seasons. But in the summer of 2007, he moved the Barcelona, spending three seasons there before joining the Red Bulls in July 2010.

His first appearance for the MLS club came in the New York Challenge, a preseason tournament that also included Manchester City and Sporting. The Red Bulls opened the competition against Spurs, with Henry scoring the opening goal in the 25th minute. Tottenham rallied to win, however, with strikes from Robbie Keane (61') and Gareth Bale (71').

Henry is currently in his fourth season with New York and has scored a total of 21 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions. He was also named to the league's Best XI in 2011 and 2012.

9 February 2007 - Yes, I Know I Spoiled The Ending

On 9 February 2007, Goal II: Living the Dream opened in Ireland and the UK, starring Kuno Becker and a host of Real Madrid and Arsenal players.

The second part of a trilogy, the film follows Becker's character, footballer Santiago Muñez, as he moves from Newcastle United to Real Madrid. The movie builds to the Champions League final, with Real Madrid facing Arsenal and coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.

In addition to Becker, the cast included several real-life players from both clubs, such as David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Iker Casillas, Thierry Henry, and Cesc Fabregas. It also featured actor Nick Cannon as fictitious Arsenal star T.J. Harper.

With a budget of approximately £10 million, the movie did poorly at the box office, taking in only £326,807 in its opening weekend and grossing under £1 million in the first week. Nor did it fare well with critics, with a current rating of 39% on RottenTomatoes.com. Audiences were kinder, however, rating it at 67%.

6 January 2012 - Apparently, You Can Go Home Again

On 6 January 2012, Arsenal confirmed the return of striker Thierry Henry, the club's all-time leading goalscorer, on loan.

Henry played for the Gunners from 1999 to 2007, making 369 appearances and scoring 226 goals. While there, he won two league titles (including the undefeated "Invincibles" run in the 2003-04 season) and three FA Cups before leaving for Barcelona in a deal worth €24M. He continued to collect silverware in Spain, with a record six-trophy haul in 2009 that included the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League.

Arsenal, however, had failed to win any trophies after Henry's departure. Halfway through the 2011-12 season, as a rocky start left them struggling to capture a Champions League qualification spot, they looked to Henry, who had by then moved to the New York Red Bulls.

He joined them in January for a two-month loan. On 9 January, he made his first appearance, coming on as a substitute to score the only goal in a FA Cup win over Leeds United. He went on to make another six appearances and scored again in his final match, a 1-2 away win over Sunderland, before returning to New York.

Rumors swirled in December 2012 of yet another return to Arsenal, but the move never materialized. Henry has said, however, that he would like to rejoin Arsenal in a coaching capacity after he retires from his playing career.