England manager Gareth Southgate has hailed the bond that Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has formed with Jude Bellingham and the other younger players in the Three Lions squad.
Liverpool captain Henderson was an obviously delighted figure on Saturday night when he headed in his first goal for England to seal their 4-0 victory over Ukraine in the European Championship quarter-final in Rome.
As a senior player who has skippered his club to the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Premier League over the past couple of years, 31-year-old Henderson might have expressed frustration over his limited role in the tournament so far with three appearances off the bench.
However, after an injury disrupted season at Anfield, the Mirror reports that Henderson has never once complained about being a bit-part player, a substitute or just part of the squad.
They say his popularity and influence within the squad was highlighted when he broke his duck it was teenage midfielder Bellingham who raced over to celebrate with him as the new, younger generation have seamlessly slotted into the group.
Southgate said: “We talked a lot in the autumn about how that group had allowed a younger group to come in and have a profile because of the team, based on the hard work of those who had gone before.
“I think the newer players recognise that and they appreciate the way those older guys have made them feel welcome.
“I loved some of the reaction on the bench when Hendo scored because you could see the younger players were totally delighted for him.
“There’s a lovely moment with Jude that shows you what Hendo brings to our environment that the players were so pleased for him. We all were.
“He’s really accepted that this was going to be a difficult and different challenge but he’s totally thrown himself into it.”
