France 2002-2004 Home Shirt - Henry No.12 (S)

📐 Flat measurements

Read these numbers carefully before ordering. 65 cm is short: early-2000s adidas shirts were cut far shorter than today's. Lay a shirt that fits you well flat, measure it the same way and compare — it's the only reliable guide on a piece from this era.

No flaws, and that's remarkable on a piece over twenty years old. The royal blue is deep and even, with no faded areas at the shoulders. The purple mesh side panels — the most fragile part of this model — are intact, with no holes and no laddering. The turned-down V-neck holds its shape, and the white stripes and red trim on the shoulders haven't yellowed. The embroidered rooster is crisp and the inner label is still perfectly legible.

Unsure about the size? This 2002 adidas S is broad across the shoulders but very short (49 x 65 cm): if you wear a S today, it will feel noticeably shorter than you're used to. Do compare the measurements, or read my size guide.

✦ Authenticity guaranteed for life

Item checked by hand in my authentication workshop. If a piece bought from me is ever identified as a unofficial, I refund it in full. Guarantee with no expiry date.

• Inner label photographed (photo 4): reference 298742, batch AKU001 and date 02/02. February 2002, the run produced for that year's World Cup
• The purple panels are genuine inset mesh: look at photo 2 — those mauve half-moons on the sides are a separate piece of net, sewn into the body. No fan version reproduces that construction; they simply print the colour on
• Raised embroidered rooster, star embroidered separately: the tail feathers are made of individual stitches and the 1998 star is added above, with the three "F. F. F." below. On an unofficial piece, the whole thing is a single heat-pressed patch
• Textured pique knit across the whole body: you can feel the regular small dimples under your finger. That's the 2002 adidas jersey, much thicker than today's smooth knits
• Real photos of the exact shirt for sale, never stock images — full method in my authentication guide

📖 Thierry Henry's number 12

He could have taken the 10 or the 9. He kept the 12 for his entire international career, and that number became his as surely as a name. This is the shirt he wore at the peak of his powers.

🇯🇵 The 2002 World Cup. This model is the one from the tournament in Korea and Japan, where France, the defending champions, went out in the group stage without scoring a single goal.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The Arsenal years. Over the same period, Henry was dominating the Premier League with Arsenal — that's the Henry everyone pictures.

⭐ A single star above the rooster. The 1998 one. The second wouldn't arrive until 2018: that detail dates the shirt at a glance.

🎨 Purple on a France shirt — that's the daring of this model, and what makes it instantly recognisable. adidas slipped two large mauve half-moons onto the sides, a colour the FFF has never allowed through since.

🎯 Who is this shirt for?

← Scroll →

Not sure? My Mystery Box offer is a great alternative — just write "France" in the order notes.

❓ Frequently asked questions about this shirt

🔗 Similar gems

• → See all my France national team shirts
• → My whole 2000s collection
• → My legends shirts
• → My Gems & Collectors