The veteran is a surprise inclusion in Southgate's latest squad, but his international career should be over after swapping Liverpool for Al-Ettifaq
Jordan Henderson's unforeseen move to Saudi Arabia in July was expected to be the death knell for the 33-year-old's international career. The political and footballing optics of his controversial, £13 million ($16m) transfer from European giants Liverpool to Steven Gerrard's middling Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq have made Gareth Southgate's selection decision an easy one.
However, six weeks on, Henderson somehow finds himself back among the England camp for fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland in September. Southgate looked like a rabbit in the headlights when quizzed on the call-up in a press conference, but rather than admit that his decision would be scrutinised, he instead launched into a fierce defence of one of his trusted lieutenants.
"My job is to pick a football team," he sniped. "I don’t think you can pick a football team based on any prejudice about where they might be playing their football. I am a bit lost with some of the questioning. You walk in to talk about a squad for football and we are wading into complex political situations, which I am not really trained to do. We will do the best we can."
Southgate has done so much for the England national team, but there is little doubt that this is a decision he has gotten badly wrong, and the accompanying furore is an unnecessary distraction.
An incredibly tone-deaf transfer decision
It is of course now well-documented that Henderson postured as a self-proclaimed LGBTQ+ ally throughout his time as Liverpool captain, wearing a rainbow armband and participating in the Rainbow Laces campaign as a show of support.
In 2021, he told Liverpool's official website: "I do believe when you see something that is clearly wrong and makes another human being feel excluded you should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them. You also have a responsibility to educate yourself better around the challenges they experience.
"That’s where my own position on homophobia in football is rooted. Before I’m a footballer, I’m a parent, a husband, a son, a brother and a friend to the people in my life who matter so much to me. The idea that any of them would feel excluded from playing or attending a football match, simply for being and identifying as who they are, blows my mind."
His move to Saudi Arabia, then, is a case of actions speaking far louder than words. Homosexuality is criminalised in the Gulf State and punishable by death, as is the gender expression of trans people, and therefore Henderson's willingness to move there is a clear betrayal of the LGBTQ+ community and his so-called allyship.
Speaking tohaving been included in the latest England squad, Henderson gave a weak defence of his decision to move to Saudi Arabia, suggesting he has martyred himself by going to play there as an LGBTQ+ advocate.
"I can understand the frustration. I can understand the anger. I get it," he said. "All I can say around that is that I’m sorry that they feel like that. My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities where I felt like they had asked for my help. Now, when I was making the decision, the way that I tried to look at it was I felt as though, by myself not going, we can all bury our heads in the sand and criticise different cultures and different countries from afar. But then nothing’s going to happen. Nothing’s going to change.
"I think people know what my views and values were before I left and still do now. And I think having someone with those views and values in Saudi Arabia is only a positive thing."
The England squad has built a reputation for giving consideration to human rights issues and speaking out against discrimination. Henderson's transfer decision and subsequent inclusion in the squad betrays that, too.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMissed opportunity to set a precedent
Quite incredibly, Henderson is insistent that his decision to swap the already-obscene riches of the Premier League for the unimaginable wealth of Saudi Arabia was financially motivated, instead claiming that the project at Al-Ettifaq – a club that finished seventh last season – 'excites' him, and denying that he is earning a reported £700,000 ($881,000) per week in the Gulf state (it's actually every two weeks).
"People will see this club come with loads of money and he’s just gone, 'Yeah, I’m going.' When in reality that just wasn’t the case at all," the former Liverpool captain alleges in his extensive and dissatisfying chat with .
"People can believe me or not, but in my life and my career, money has never been a motivation. Ever. Don’t get me wrong, when you move, the business deal has to be tight. You have to have financials, you have to feel wanted, you have to feel valued. And money is a part of that. But that wasn’t the sole reason. And these possibilities came up before money was even mentioned."
Sure, Jordan.
When it comes to his players moving to Saudi Arabia or any other moneyed-but-developing league where standards will be nowhere near the level required for international representation, Southgate's thinking in his selection process should really be clear: you will not be rewarded for chasing the money and playing in a significantly weaker league, which will inherently bring your own level down – whether you are conscious of it or not.
GettySignificant step down in quality
Despite the exodus of big-name players from the upper echelons of European football to the Pro League, the drop down in quality from England's top flight cannot be underemphasised – especially given how Public Investment Fund-owned (PIF) clubs Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli have effectively monopolised the blockbuster signings.
Southgate – who has been accused of contradictory selection decisions in the past – previously shunned the likes of Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho during their time in Germany based on the perception that the Bundesliga is weaker than the Premier League, so it's difficult to comprehend his willingness to call upon a 33-year-old who has just embarked on what is an obvious swansong in the Middle East.
Attempting to explain his rationale, Southgate said: “When Jordan phoned me about the likelihood he might be going there, we had an honest conversation. I said: ‘We’re going to have to map you against players playing in a different league and in a different level of competition and we’re just going to have to see how that goes.’"
How Henderson's brief time with Al-Ettifaq has prepared him for games against relatively weaker nations Ukraine and Scotland remains to be seen, but while he has snuck into this squad, he has surely done serious damage to his chances of being included in the group for Euro 2024.
GettyPast his best
Henderson seems to be convinced that he is still in the physical condition to compete at the highest level, but he has struggled at times in the early days of his time with Gerrard's side, with the boy from Sunderland toiling in the oppressive heat. Indeed, he was having little influence on games before providing two assists against Damak last time out.
That is a reflection of his understandable decline at the age of 33 – one which was evidently set to see him lose his starting berth at Liverpool in a summer overhaul of the midfield that everyone associated with the club seemed to deem necessary. Though he played regularly, Henderson's form was patchy throughout a difficult 2022-23 campaign for the Reds with his powers or intensity, energy and relentless discipline seemingly on the wane, and the fact he was allowed to leave despite having two years left on his contract, albeit reluctantly, suggests that deep down they were ready to move on without him.
Discussing the reasons behind his decision to leave Anfield with , Henderson said: "There were a few things that sent alarm bells ringing. I’ve got a very good relationship with Jurgen. He was very honest with me. I won’t go into detail about the conversation because it’s private, but it put me in a position where I knew that I wasn’t going to be playing as much. I knew there were going to be new players coming in my position.
"And if I’m not playing, as anybody will know, especially the manager, that can be quite difficult for me and especially when I’ve been at a club for so long, I’ve captained the team for so long. Especially when England’s a big thing for me. You’ve got the Euros coming up."
