City Hall dedicates intersections in Manhattan and Queens to former players who played for clubs in the city
New York City Hall temporarily renamed 2 intersections in the city this Thursday (June 11, 2026) to honor Frenchman Thierry Henry and Brazilian Pelé. The initiative was taken on the eve of the start of the . The intersection of West 50th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan was named after “Thierry Henry Way”. The intersection between Shea Road and Meridian Road, in Queens, was dedicated to the Brazilian player.
The city decided to pay tribute to the athletes who played for local clubs and contributed to the history of football in the United States. The former French striker defended the MLS (Major League Soccer). The Brazilian played for. Pelé is recognized as one of the central personalities for the dissemination of sport in the country.
Thierry Henry, 48 years old, was honored in Manhattan. The 1998 world champion with France played for Arsenal and Barcelona before ending his career with the New York Red Bulls. Henry played for the North American club for 5 seasons until 2014. Pelé began playing for the New York Cosmos in 1975. The Brazilian received the honor in Queens.
The unveiling of the plaque in Manhattan brought together fans and residents. City councilor Virginia Maloney announced the tribute on her social media. She wrote: “Today, New York City pays tribute to one of the greatest players of all time”.
Thierry Henry participated in the ceremony through a video published on Instagram. The Frenchman thanked the city and mayor Zohran Mamdani (Democrat). “My family will be very honored”said Henry.
In his publication, the Frenchman also said: “As a Frenchman who adopted London as home, New York remains my favorite city in the world. Having a street named after me is an honor I never imagined I would receive. My son Tristan was born here, so New York will always be part of our family history”.
The signs with the new intersection names will remain installed throughout the 2026 World Cup period, until November 1st.
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