Business Leads UK

Thierry Henry could pay a heavy price for his hand ball that gave France victory over Ireland. Henry has been earning £15m a year from sponsorship deals. He has been the face of global brands including Renault, Nike, Gillette and Pepsi. Between 2001 and 2006 he earned a reported £14m from Nike, a company he ditched in 2006 to sign with Reebok for a signing-on fee believed to be over £19m. With a certain irony, Reebok use him in advertising campaign entitled "Play Responsibly". He replaced David Beckham as one of the faces of Gillette and this earns him around £2m a year. The company said it picked Henry because he embodied 'true sporting values'. He also earns £3m a year from Pepis-Cola, as well as promoting the Thomas Hilfiger fashion label. However, now his brand has suffered serious reputational damage. It may affect his attempt to follow Beckham into the lucrative US market through his proposed move to MLS side New York Red Bulls next season. Fans and therefore sponsors in the US tend to care more about the moral standards of their sporting heroes.