French footballing legend Eric Cantona has added his pearls of wisdom to the Thierry Henry furore by insisting that had he been an Irish player, he would have thumped him.

Henry cruelly robbed the Republic of Ireland of their World Cup dream when, with Les Bleus trailing 1-0 in extra-time, he seized on a Florent Malouda free-kick.

The Barcelona star then deliberately handled the ball twice before squaring for defender William Gallas to head home and give France the 1-1 draw they required to progress to next summer’s World Cup at the expense of Giovanni Trapattoni’s men.

After the match, ‘Titi’ was seen sitting down with Ireland captain Richard Dunne appearing to console the devastated defender.

Many saw Henry’s actions as vary patronising, and the Arsenal legend has been subjected to almost universal condemnation, not least from former Manchester United play-maker Eric Cantona who said he would have lashed out at the Barcelona star if he was in opposition.

"What shocks me the most quite frankly, is not the hand-ball,” he was quoted as saying by the Sun.

"What shocks me the most is that this player, at the end of the game, in front of the TV cameras, went to sit down next to an Ireland player to comfort him - when he had just screwed him.

"If I had been an Irishman, he wouldn't have lasted three seconds,” he said pointedly.

Henry has since issued a statement backing calls that the game should be replayed although FIFA and the French FA (FFF) have poured cold water on the likelihood of that occurring.

"The fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.

"I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who deserve to be in South Africa.

"But I am not a cheat. If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was instinctive,” the 32 year-olds statement read.