Thierry Henry, the coach of the France U-23 team that reached the final of the Olympic Games and lost to Spain, is stepping down from his position nearly a year before the end of his contract due to personal reasons.

In a statement, the French Football Federation (FFF) explained that Henry informed President Philippe Diallo of this decision after "an exceptional campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, earning a silver medal."

Diallo thanked him for "all the work he has done" with the Olympic and U-23 teams.

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He expressed regret over Henry's departure, noting that "he met the objectives that were set for him," particularly by winning the silver medal, 40 years after France's gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

The FFF president highlighted Henry's "great professionalism, rigor, and love for the blue jersey" and wished the former footballer well in his future endeavors.

Henry, for his part, thanked Diallo and the Federation for the "incredible opportunity" they gave him by placing him in charge of the national team.

"The silver medal at the Olympic Games will be one of the greatest prides of my life," the coach said, adding that he had experienced "a magical journey."

Diallo intends to begin the process of appointing a successor "in the coming days," aiming for the new coach to take charge in time for the first two matches of the Euro 2025 qualifiers, scheduled for early September.

Thierry Henry, 47, managed to lead the team to the final despite the absence of several top players who could have participated in the Games due to their clubs' refusal. The most notable case was Kylian Mbappé, who was signed by Real Madrid. In the battle for gold, Spain won 5-3 in extra time, thanks to two goals from Rayo Vallecano’s Sergio Camello.