Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice send messages as Jordan Henderson reflects on England return
Arsenal star Declan Rice and Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham have both sent messages to Jordan Henderson after the midfielder took to social media to reflect on his return to the England squad.
After Henderson left Liverpool for Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023, the midfielder had last featured in a Three Lions squad in November of that year.
The midfielder’s stay in the Middle East proved to be brief, as he returned to Europe to sign for Ajax in January 2024.
He has since struggled for game time with the Dutch giants, and Henderson was also involved in an on-pitch bust-up with Ajax teammate Bertrand Traore earlier this season.
England teammates react at Jordan Henderson speaks out on international return
Despite that situation, the 34-year-old was recalled to the England squad by Thomas Tuchel this month, as he oversaw his first international camp.
Given his age, lack of minutes and long absence from the international fold, the return of Henderson was a surprise to many.
Indeed, further scrutiny was placed on the decision by the frustration around the initial omission from the squad of the likes of Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White despite his excellent form.
Having returned to the fold, Henderson was an 82nd minute substitute as England beat Albania 2-0 on Friday night (21 March).
He then followed that up by coming off the bench 11 minutes from time in England’s 3-0 win over Latvia on Monday (24 March).
| Jordan Henderson in 2026 World Cup qualifying | Total (as per SofaScore) |
| Minutes Played | 19 |
| Pass Success Rate | 94% |
| Duels | 0 |
| Dribbles | 0 |
| Touches per Game | 25.5 |
While his game time was limited, the midfielder clearly enjoyed being involved again, after he posted a series of pictures from camp on Instagram.
Reflecting on his return, Henderson then added a caption that read: “Loved every second of this week. Great to be back with the boys! Good start in our new chapter.”
In response, a number of his England teammates from the latest squad were keen to respond, with Arsenal midfielder Rice commenting on the post: “What a guy”.
While Aston Villa attacker Morgan Rogers commented with the same three words as Rice, Bellingham was another to respond, with the Real Madrid ace writing: “My brother is back”.
Thomas Tuchel has big Jordan Henderson call to make
Football Insider Verdict
Henderson did not get a lot of minutes on his return to the setup here, and by the time the World Cup begins next summer he will be 36-years-old.
It is clear that Tuchel’s aim as England manager is to win the World Cup in 2026, and you have to question how much Henderson will be able to contribute at that tournament based on the last few days.
Of course, it is clear that he is still a popular figure among the squad at least, and he has honed his leadership abilities over the years.
Even so, by the time the tournament comes around, there are no doubt going to be others who can do that job for England, meaning Tuchel will have to decide whether or not to stick with Henderson.