"Why not?" he said Wednesday following a charity soccer match. "I love America. I love it here. And whenever I come here, I feel free. Hopefully, one day. You never know what's going to happen. But at the moment, I'm still over there."

 

A lucky crowd in New York watches Thierry Henry work his magic. (Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)

Following France's first-round elimination at the European Championship last week, the elegant 30-year-old forward came to the United States. The celebrity match, played on a tiny field in the Chinatown section of Manhattan, benefited the foundations of Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash and New York Red Bulls midfielder Claudio Reyna, the former U.S. national team captain.

Fans crowded into the small field, ringing the playing area. Chelsea's Solomon Kalou, who played for Ivory Coast on Sunday in a World Cup qualifier at Abidjan, was a late addition. Participants included former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, the NBA's Leandro Barbosa and Baron Davis, and Jozy Altidore, who just left the Red Bulls to join Spain's Villarreal.

"I'm here on vacation, enjoying the town," Henry said. "It's an amazing town. I love New York. It's not the first time I say it. I come here quite often. It's pretty nice."

Henry said he can walk the streets of New York and not be bothered.

"Sometimes I do get recognized, but I feel free when I'm here, so that's the most important thing," he said. "I love it."

He left Arsenal after the 2006-7 season and signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, which finished third in La Liga behind Real Madrid and Villarreal.

Henry has a French record 45 goals in 102 international appearances. Since Les Bleus were eliminated with a 2-0 loss to Italy last week in Zurich, Switzerland, he has not watched Euro 2008.

"It has nothing to do with painful. The memory is gone," he said. "I know who won today, but that is it."

Henry is friends with Nash, who invited him to play just before Reyna was able to contact him.

"Because he got to him quicker, he was on his team," Reyna said outside Replay, the SoHo store where the post-match party and auction was held.

Reyna hopes to get Argentina's Lionel Messi for next year's charity event. Reyna used the match as part of his rehabilitation from a back injury, and noted the level of play was not too fierce.

"A few of the boys were out late last night," he said. "You knew that was going to happen."