Jordan Henderson's World Cup is expected to be over after he suffered a freak arm injury while celebrating England's dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico. The 10-man England side secured a sensational win, but the post-match celebrations turned to concern when the former Liverpool midfielder fell over the advertising boards, landing with his right arm underneath his body.
Henderson was placed on a stretcher and received oxygen before being taken to hospital. According to the Mirror's chief football writer John Cross, Henderson is staying in Mexico City and is highly unlikely to play again this summer. Speaking on the Make Football Great Again podcast, Cross said: 'It feels like it might be his World Cup over, to be honest. I know it's a sort of wrist or arm injury that you probably get in plaster, but that early stage is going to be difficult for him. As the team travels back to their base in Kansas City, Jordan Henderson is staying behind in Mexico City to have this set and repaired.'
Tuchel Confirms Serious Injury
England manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Henderson had been taken to hospital, describing the injury as 'really bad'. Speaking to the BBC, Tuchel said: 'Not good, not good. Next thing is a right defender now with the red card. Jordan just fell over and injured his wrist; it looks really bad.' In his post-match press conference, Tuchel added: 'He injured his wrist; he's gone to hospital. It's quite a serious injury. It doesn't fit with the night. I don't know if there will be a procedure.'
Henderson's absence is a significant blow to England's campaign, as Tuchel had praised his leadership qualities ahead of the match. Cross described the situation as 'heartbreaking', saying: 'He was put up in the press conference pre-match; Tuchel clearly thinks he's going to say the right thing and motivate the troops. I just thought, wow, that's so heartbreaking. He's such a good character and person and leader. That's absolutely devastating for him.'
England's Quarter-Final Hopes
Despite the setback, England advanced to the quarter-finals after their victory over Mexico, where they will face Norway on Saturday. The only other confirmed quarter-final tie is between France and Morocco. Goalscorers Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham both offered their support to Henderson after the match.
The Three Lions will now have to regroup without their experienced midfielder, as they aim to continue their World Cup campaign.
