Jordan Henderson

Jordan Brian Henderson (born 17 June 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club Ajax, which he captains, and the England national team. He is noted for his leadership, versatility, and physicality.

Henderson joined the Sunderland Academy at the age of eight, making his first-team debut a decade later in November 2008. He spent six months on loan at Coventry City in 2009, before returning to Sunderland. In 2011, Henderson signed for Liverpool, winning his first trophy with the club, the League Cup, one year later. Appointed Liverpool captain in 2015, Henderson won the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019, and in 2020 led his team to the Premier League title. For his performances in the title-winning season, Henderson was named FWA Footballer of the Year. In 2022, Henderson won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, with Liverpool beating Chelsea on penalties in both finals.

An England international, Henderson has over 80 appearances for his country since his debut in 2010. He has appeared at six international tournaments with England, the 2012, 2016 and 2020 UEFA European Championships and the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. He was the first player to win the England Player of the Year award at both the U-21 and senior level.

Early life

Jordan Brian Henderson was born on 17 June 1990 in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, and joined the youth system of his hometown club Sunderland aged eight. Henderson studied at Farringdon Community Sports College.

Club career

Sunderland

2008–2009: Early career and loan to Coventry City

Henderson signed a professional contract with Sunderland on 1 July 2008. He made his first-team debut on 1 November in a 5–0 away defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League, in which he came on as a half-time substitute. He then made his first Sunderland start and home debut against Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup the following month.

In January 2009, Henderson joined Championship club Coventry City on a one-month loan. He made his Coventry debut in a 2–1 defeat to Derby County. Henderson's loan to Coventry was extended until the end of the season, and he scored the first senior goal of his career on 28 February 2009 against Norwich City. After picking up an injury, a fracture to the fifth metatarsal bone in his foot, he returned to Sunderland in April 2009.

2009–2011: Return to Sunderland

In the 2009–10 season, Henderson broke into the Sunderland first team and made 38 appearances, scoring 2 goals. He scored his first senior goal for the club against Birmingham City in the League Cup third round. He then went on to score his first Premier League goal against Manchester City on 19 December 2009.

Henderson spent the majority of the season on the right side of midfield but played centrally in the absence of Lee Cattermole; his versatility and consistency earned him a new five-year contract on 23 April 2010, keeping him with the club until 2015. He also went on to win the Sunderland Young Player of the Year award for the 2009–10 season.

Henderson was a major part of the team during the 2010–11 season making 39 appearances and scoring 3 goals, including his first league double, on 23 April at home to Wigan Athletic. On 13 January 2011, Henderson was listed on the official FIFA website as one of 13 young players to watch in 2011. He was named Sunderland's Young Player of the Year for the second season running.

Liverpool

2011–2015: Emergence and first successes

On 9 June 2011, Henderson was transferred to Liverpool for an undisclosed fee thought to be between £16 and £20 million. He made his debut in Liverpool's first match of the 2011–12 Premier League, a 1–1 draw against his former club Sunderland where he was given a mixed reception by Sunderland fans. On 27 August 2011, Henderson scored his first goal for Liverpool in a Premier League fixture at Anfield against Bolton Wanderers. On 26 February 2012, Henderson started on the right of midfield in Liverpool's 2012 League Cup final victory over Cardiff City before being substituted in the 58th minute. On 5 May, he played the full 90 minutes as Liverpool were beaten 2–1 by Chelsea in the 2012 FA Cup final. Henderson ended the 2011–12 season with 2 goals from 48 appearances.

In August 2012, Henderson was told he could be signed by Fulham by new manager Brendan Rodgers, but this was rejected by the player. He went on to score his first European goal for Liverpool on 6 December 2012, with the winner against Udinese in the UEFA Europa League as the ''Reds'' qualified for the last 32.

Henderson established himself as a regular member of the Liverpool team in the 2013–14 season, playing in 40 matches and scoring 5 goals. On 29 September 2013, he made his 100th appearance for the club as Liverpool won 1–3 at Sunderland.

On 13 April 2014, he received his first career red card for a dangerous sliding tackle on Samir Nasri in a 3–2 win over Manchester City, resulting in a three-match ban that meant he would miss three of Liverpool's last four matches; without Henderson, Liverpool lost 0–2 in a home game against Chelsea and drew 3–3 with Crystal Palace, losing a 3–0 lead in just 15 minutes before the final whistle. Failure to win any of those games meant that by the time of Henderson's return from suspension, Liverpool had already been overtaken in first place by Manchester City. On 11 May 2014, the final match day of the competition, he started in Liverpool's 2–1 home win over Newcastle United only to finish second as Manchester City claimed the league title in their concurrent game.

Henderson started the 2014–15 season in a good form, providing two assists in Liverpool's first three league matches, and was named as the club's vice-captain following the departure of Daniel Agger. On 29 November, Henderson started as captain for the first time for Liverpool in the Premier League against Stoke City as Steven Gerrard