According to a report by Football London on November 12, 2026, Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry believes former Chelsea forwards Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba and Olivier Giroud deserve greater recognition for their contributions to football beyond their goalscoring records.

Chelsea's attack is currently led by Brazilian striker Joao Pedro, who has enjoyed a promising season. The forward has scored five Premier League goals, putting him level with Morgan Rogers as the club's leading scorer.

However, Henry believes several former Chelsea strikers have not received enough credit for their willingness to put the team's success ahead of individual achievements.

Although Eto'o, Drogba and Giroud enjoyed successful careers as centre-forwards at major European clubs, Henry believes their contributions went beyond scoring goals.

Speaking during an interview on Kampo, the former Arsenal striker highlighted Eto'o's willingness to take up defensive responsibilities during his time at Inter Milan, despite being one of football's most dangerous attacking players.

"I have had the pleasure of playing with numerous footballers who are underappreciated. An exemplary case in point is Samuel Eto'o. When he was with Inter, he would fill in at right back or left back depending on what the team needed. Considering all he accomplished and the goals he scored, that deserves praise, Henry said."

Henry also mentioned Steven Gerrard among players who demonstrated commitment to their teams by accepting different roles whenever required.

He subsequently praised Drogba and Giroud for combining impressive goalscoring records with performances that helped their teams secure victories.

"Even though they always put the team first, Drogba and Olivier Giroud were able to score goals. Finding the net is one thing, but putting on a solid performance is something else entirely," he emphasized.

Henry's comments come at a time when Chelsea could benefit from having experienced forwards in their squad following Joao Pedro's recent injury.

The Blues suffered three defeats in their previous four matches while the Brazilian was sidelined, with Xabi Alonso experimenting with Pedro Neto and Morgan Rogers as false nines in search of suitable attacking alternatives.

Chelsea still have Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha as backup options, although neither has enjoyed significant playing time this year.

The club will be hoping Pedro makes a full recovery and avoids another injury, as they are not expected to prioritise signing another striker during the January transfer window despite their recent attacking difficulties.