New York renames streets after Thierry Henry, Pele ahead of World Cup

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Workers are seen at the FIFA Fan Festival in downtown Houston, Texas, on June 10, 2026, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP)

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New York has honored two footballing greats by temporarily renaming streets after Thierry Henry and Pele ahead of the World Cup kickoff, according to the City Council.

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The tournament — co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — begins Thursday and the final will be played next month at the MetLife Stadium, rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium, just outside the city.

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Crowds gathered at West 50th Street and 6th Avenue in downtown Manhattan to mark the unveiling of “Thierry Henry Way” by officials, according to videos posted to social media on Wednesday.

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“Today, New York City honored one of the greatest to ever play the game,” New York City Council Member Virginia Maloney wrote on Instagram.

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The former Arsenal and Barcelona star, who was a member of the France squad that won the 1998 World Cup, said in a recorded message on Instagram, “I can’t wait to walk around there the next time I go to Rockefeller Center or Radio City Music Hall.”

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The 48-year-old raised his profile in the United States after spending five seasons with New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer until 2014.

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The city has also renamed the intersection of Shea Road and Meridian Road, in the Queens borough, after Brazilian legend Pele, according to the New York City Council website.

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The street names will stay in place until November 1.

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