New York renames streets after football icons Pele, Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry and Pele. Pics/AFP

New York has honoured two footballing greats by temporarily renaming streets after Thierry Henry and Pele ahead of the World Cup kick-off.

The tournament - co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States - begins on June 11 and the final will be played in July at the MetLife Stadium, rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium, just outside the city.

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 June 10.

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."

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.

The city also renamed the intersection of Shea Road and Meridian Road after Brazilian legend Pele.

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