Best Hurt By Henry Handball

Leon Best has been speaking about his World Cup hurt.

The City striker got Thierry Henry's shirt in the first leg of the World Cup play-off against France and was devasted by the handball by his hero which saw Ireland go out in the second leg.

Speaking to the CT, Best said:" Thierry Henry's a hero of mine. "I got his shirt at the first leg at Croke Park and I have always looked up to him as a player. I am very, very disappointed. I have got mixed feelings at the moment.

"I am devastated that we haven't got through to the World Cup but I understand what it is like as a player when people get on to you. He has come out and said what he thinks now but it looks like it is too late for us. He's a massive player and he knows what he should have done straight away but maybe his emotions took over.

"I don't know what I would have done. I would like to think I would have owned up and told the ref but in a game there is pulling and tripping and things like that happen.

"Nothing like that has ever happened where I have hand-balled it or done something like that. I do try other things but in a game that big I would probably be a bit frightened to do something like that and if I did I would probably panic and own up straight away.

"But we will see what comes of it. I can't see how people can watch it time and time again and turn a blind eye to it so hopefully, something will come of it.

"It's a dream of mine to go to the World Cup. I have watched all the World Cups and watched my heroes in them and to have the chance of playing in one would be a dream come true.

"So not being able to go because of something like that is hard to take. "I would rather they had beaten us 3-0 and scored three really good goals but we played well, we took it to them and had chances ourselves, so to go out to something like that is not a good feeling."