Henderson's Support for Bellingham
Jordan Henderson, a seasoned England international, has voiced his concern over the critical media coverage surrounding his teammate Jude Bellingham. Henderson believes that Bellingham, despite recent scrutiny, possesses the unique qualities to be England's pivotal 'X-factor' player at the World Cup.
Ahead of England's opening World Cup fixture against Croatia, much discussion has centered on who will occupy the number 10 role in Thomas Tuchel's lineup, with Bellingham and Morgan Rogers being the primary contenders. Bellingham, a midfielder for Real Madrid, has recently faced critiques regarding his performances for the national team, having previously stated he felt like a 'scapegoat'.
Praise for Bellingham's Growth and Influence
Speaking from England's training base in Kansas City, Henderson strongly endorsed the 22-year-old, anticipating a significant impact from him throughout the tournament.
"I can remember six years ago, I gave him his first cap and how much he has grown as a player and person since then is incredible really," Henderson remarked. "I had a good idea when I first saw him playing and training and the way he was. What he has done so far at such a young age, I think everybody forgets how young he is, even me sometimes."
Henderson, a 35-year-old Brentford midfielder, was selected for Tuchel's squad due to his leadership capabilities and shares a close rapport with Bellingham.
"I honestly couldn't speak highly enough of him," Henderson continued. "I know a lot gets written in the media, I find it hard to read sometimes really because I just know just how big an influence he is on this team, how good a team-mate he is off the field. What he gives us is just something really special. He really gives us an X-factor in our team. He has had big moments in his career, he is a big game player. He has got experience in tournaments. He is a huge, huge player for us in this tournament."
Experience and Mentorship
Despite being one of the youngest members of the England squad, Bellingham boasts considerable international experience with 48 caps and is set to participate in his third major tournament.
"If you ask any player in this group they will tell you how much of a good team-mate he is, how well he trains," Henderson stated. "I know he is young but he also helps young players, new players that come in. How he was in the pre-camp with Rio [Ngumoha], Josh King, Alex Scott, Ethan [Nwaneri] - how he is with the players, nobody sees that."
Henderson highlighted Bellingham's role in mentoring younger players, citing an instance where Bellingham presented 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha with his England legacy cap and delivered a speech after the Liverpool winger's debut in a friendly victory over New Zealand.
"They all look up to him and he gave Rio [Ngumoha] his first cap which gives you a little insight to what he is like behind the scenes," Henderson explained. "I do think that a lot of the media and the stuff that gets written isn't all true to be honest, a lot of it is actually untrue. For us, we know what he can do and we all love him inside the camp and I suppose that's the main thing."
