Jordan Henderson has declared that Jude Bellingham is cherished by his England teammates and will serve as the team's X-factor at the World Cup. The Real Madrid star is competing with Morgan Rogers for the No. 10 role against Croatia on Wednesday, amid ongoing media scrutiny regarding his relationship with manager Thomas Tuchel. However, Henderson, a close ally of Bellingham, insists there are no concerns about his attitude.
Henderson Praises Bellingham's Growth
“I’m sure he will have a big impact for us in this tournament,” Henderson stated. “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 as a person since then, is incredible really. I had a good idea when I first saw him playing and training, and the way he was.”
“I think everybody forgets how young he is. We do rondos and 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 to go in. It just reminds us how young he is. I honestly couldn’t speak highly enough of him.”
Media Criticism Unfounded
Henderson addressed the negative media portrayal of Bellingham, asserting that external perceptions of him as a divisive figure are inaccurate. He highlighted Bellingham’s mentorship of young players like Alex Scott, Ethan Nwaneri, Rio Ngumoha, and Josh King during the pre-tournament camp.
“If you ask any player in the group, they’ll tell you how much of a good teammate he is, how well he trains,” Henderson said. “I know he’s young but he’s very mature. He helps young players, new players, that are coming in. How he was in the pre-camp with Rio, Josh King, Alex Scott, Ethan, how he is with those players, nobody sees that, but they all look up to him.”
“He gave Rio his first cap after the game, which just gives you a little insight into what he is like behind the scenes. I do think a lot of the media and the stuff that gets written isn’t all true to be honest, or a lot of it is actually untrue. But for us we all know what he can do, and how much we all love him inside the camp, and I suppose that’s the main thing.”
Henderson also discussed the competition between Bellingham and Rogers for a starting spot. “It doesn’t matter if you’re starting or coming on, everyone has a role,” he said. “I see it as two top players who I wouldn’t want to be playing against – so good on and off the ball, athletic and physical, can score and have it in their locker to produce big moments. They’re very close and will support each other 100%. They’ve both got a big role to play.”
Croatia Defender Praises Kane
Meanwhile, Croatia defender Duje Caleta-Car has lauded England captain Harry Kane ahead of their clash on Wednesday. The former Southampton player faced Kane during England’s 1-0 victory over Croatia at the start of Euro 2020. “Kane impressed me in our match against England at the European Championship, even though he didn’t score,” Caleta-Car said. “His movement and positioning – you can clearly see he’s a master of the game and knows exactly what he’s doing.”
