Jordan Henderson has declared that Jude Bellingham provides the 'X factor' to help England win the World Cup. The former Liverpool captain insists that Bellingham is 'something really special' and a 'big-game player' who will deliver for England this summer.
Real Madrid superstar Bellingham and Henderson are close pals both on and off the pitch, sharing a huge mutual respect. Henderson, who turns 37 when England face Croatia on Wednesday, said: 'I'm sure he will have a big impact for us in this tournament.'
'For me, he's someone I can remember five years ago I gave him his first cap, it was away at Middlesbrough. How much he's grown as a player and a person since then is incredible.' Henderson added: 'I had a good idea when I first saw him playing and training. But what he's done so far, at such a young age, I think everybody forgets how young he is, even me sometimes.'
Henderson highlighted Bellingham's humility during rondos: 'It's the youngest in, and there are people that I think should be going in before him, but he's always one of the first in the middle. It reminds us how young he is.'
'I honestly couldn't speak highly enough of him. I know a lot gets written in the media and I find it hard to read sometimes, because I know how big an influence he is on this team, how good a team-mate he is off the field. What he gives us is something really special, the x-factor. He's had big moments, he's a big-game player, he's got tournament experience, so he's a huge player for us.'
Henderson also addressed the rivalry between Bellingham and Morgan Rogers for a starting spot: 'They are two top players that I wouldn't want to play against. They have so much ability on the ball, are good off the ball, physical and athletic, can score. The good thing is they are very close. They have known each other since they were young and will support each other throughout this tournament.'
Brought in by Thomas Tuchel to help maintain squad harmony, Henderson stressed shared responsibility: 'It's important to make sure the culture and environment off the pitch is good, but that's not down to one person. Everyone has a role to play. We have done that really well since the manager got in, and it has got stronger.'
