Jordan Henderson relished proving the doubters wrong after Liverpool completed the unlikeliest of comebacks against Barcelona to reach the Champions League Final.
The Reds looked dead and buried after a 3-0 first-leg defeat at Camp Nou last week but, roared on by a partisan Anfield crowd, they produced a monumental performance to turn the tie on its head and seal and aggregate 4-3 win.
The absence through injury of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino meant few gave coach Jurgen Klopp’s side a hope of progressing — but that was all the motivation Henderson and his team-mates needed to pull off an unforgettable comeback.
But that is all the motivation Henderson and his teammates needed to pull off an unforgettable comeback.
Asked where the game ranked among his career highlights, the captain replied: “It has to be the top. It was an unbelievable night.
“From start to finish I thought the lads were amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. It was just unbelievable.
“I think a lot of people would have written us off but we have a belief in this team. We knew that if we gave everything, you know never know what can happen in football. We said we would fight for everything right to the end.
“I think we proved quite a few people wrong. We showed that if you never give up and you keep trying you can produce special things and create a special night.”
Henderson is no stranger to a constant need to convince; in truth, it has been the narrative of his professional career.
But even the Liverpool captain’s biggest sceptics could not have failed to be won over by his relentless performance against Barcelona on Tuesday.
“I quite enjoy it now, I’ve got used to it!” he said of his personal battle with critics.
“For me, throughout my career, I have always wanted to prove people wrong and that will never change. I will continue to do that until I finish playing football.
“Football is like that anyway, it changes that quickly. Whether you are winning trophies or not there are always questions asked, someone else saying you cannot do this or that. So there is always things that you want to prove.
“I want to improve as a footballer and keep getting better to contribute to the team to be successful.”
Of course, if Henderson and his colleagues are ever short of such belief, then their manager Klopp is always on hand.
