Thierry Henry Talks Exclusively with Booking.com About the Most Important Night of His Soccer Career

London, UK – JULY 4, 2016 – If you buy into the old saying that 90% of winning comes from your preparation for the game, then where a champion sleeps the night before the biggest match of his life might just give him that competitive edge. Given the current soccer frenzy in France and the fact that over a third (34%) of people who travelled for sports last year said they’d prioritize going to a major sports event over their own honeymoon*, Booking.com is celebrating the special relationship between travel and sports—and the magic that comes from finding that perfect place to stay—by releasing new footage from an intimate conversation with Thierry Henry. In the very same hotel room where he stayed before winning the 2009 European Cup in Rome, Henry speaks candidly about his career, traveling as a world-class soccer player, and what makes Rome so special to him.

“Whenever I think about Rome, I think about that European Cup final in 2009,” says Thierry Henry, Booking.com’s official ambassador for the 2016 Summer of Sports. “I can still almost feel it. Sometimes you almost think too much about the game when you’re alone in your room. But my family and friends were there — I felt like I was at home. You’re not thinking about the game. Is it going to be our last chance? Are you going to win it? The preparation for that game was just spot on.”

Thierry discusses the travel perks of having an international career and how his love of soccer continues to fuel his passion for discovery—even in a city like Rome that already holds so many fond memories for him.

“I travelled a lot, but didn’t always have the chance to visit the cities,” continues Henry. “Whenever you come to Rome it seems like there is always something that you’ve missed. You walk around, you turn, you look… everything is a sight. Rome is a great town. It’s amazing to come back.”

To view the full footage, including Henry exploring some of his favourite Roman neighbourhoods and even creating his own pizza dough at a local pizzeria, visit Booking.com’s YouTube channel.

* Data was collected from 3,975 respondents across 7 markets. Respondents had to be 18 years of age or older and had to have travelled at least once for sports in the last year. All respondents had to be at least part of the decision-making process when planning most of their trips. Data was collected in June 2016 by Booking.com with the assistance of an international panel provider.

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CONTACT DETAILS FOR BOOKING.COM:

For further information, contact the Booking.com UK Press Office: lon-booking@ketchum.com 020 3755 6548

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