The chanting and applauding of the South African players in the tunnel before their 1998 FIFA World Cup match against France was a memorable event, according to football icon Thierry Henry, who pondered on it.

As the French team prepared to meet the hosts in the group round, Henry—who later won the tournament while playing for France—remembered the scary environment produced by the South African players.

The former Arsenal and France player reflected on the incident, saying, "It's one of the two games in my career where I was actually scared."

His remarks bring to light the mental toll that football players may take in the moments leading up to a game, especially when facing a squad whose confidence, cohesion, and collective spirit makes for an incredible environment.

This match was France's first World Cup match versus South Africa, and it was held on June 12, 1998, in Marseille's Stade Vélodrome. Christophe Dugarry, Pierre Issa (own goal), and Thierry Henry scored the game-winning goals as the hosts went on to win 3-0.

In spite of the loss, South African football history was enriched by Bafana Bafana's appearance on the world stage. After South Africa resumed international football after apartheid ended, the national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time.

While Henry was a Betway Global Ambassador, he made an appearance on MSW on 947, just before the much-anticipated Soweto Derby, when Henry's memory came flooding back.

Listeners supposedly had a chance to hear one of football's most revered individuals reflect on life while engaging in a discourse that included humour, serious topics, football banter, and important life lessons.

During his stellar playing career, Henry was an integral part of France's golden age and played for teams like Arsenal and Barcelona. The European Championship in 2000 and the World Cup in 1998 were both won by him.

His remarks on Bafana Bafana are an interesting reminder that the most memorable moments in football do not always include goals and medals. The energy that the players bring to the pitch in the moments leading up to kickoff may, on occasion, be remembered for decades.

The narrative of Henry gives South African fans further cause to rejoice in the unique personality and spirit of Bafana Bafana, whose players left an impression even on the eventual world winners.

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