Henderson says Bellingham criticism 'hard to read'

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Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defence of England team-mate Jude Bellingham, admitting he finds it "hard to read" the constant media scrutiny aimed at the Real Madrid superstar. The veteran midfielder believes Bellingham possesses a unique "X-factor" that will be vital for England's 2026 World Cup hopes in North America.

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Defending 'special' Real Madrid star

Bellingham has often found himself under the microscope for his on-pitch demeanour, but Henderson, who has also emerged as a key leadership figure for England under Thomas Tuchel, insists the public perception of the 22-year-old is wide of the mark. The Brentford midfielder is adamant that the former Borussia Dortmund man is the catalyst for England’s success.

"I honestly couldn’t speak highly enough of him," Henderson said. "I know a lot gets written in the media and I find it hard to read sometimes, because I just 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 just something really special. I think he really gives us the X factor in our team."

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Big-game experience and dressing room influence

As England gear up for their Group L opener against Croatia on Wednesday, Bellingham is expected to start as the No.10, despite competition from Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers. This will be Bellingham's fourth major tournament at the age of just 22, a level of experience that Henderson believes will be vital for Tuchel's side in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

“He’s had big moments in his career, he’s a big game player,” Henderson continued. “He’s got experience in tournaments, so he’s a huge, huge player for us in this tournament. I think if you ask any player in the group, they’ll tell you how much of a good team-mate he is, how well he trains. 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 inside the camp, and I suppose that’s the main thing.”

The bridge between generations

Henderson’s inclusion in the England World Cup squad at 35 has also drawn critics, but Bellingham was quick to return the favour by defending the veteran's role. The Real Madrid star claimed detractors "don’t have a clue what they are talking about", labelling Henderson the "glue" of the squad. Henderson himself has focused on the chemistry forged during a warm-weather camp in Florida, where he watched Bellingham mentor youngsters like Rio Ngumoha.

"It’s important to make sure the culture and the environment off the pitch is good, of course, but I don’t feel like that’s down to one person," Henderson explained. "I feel that’s down to everyone. Everybody’s got a role to play and that’s been a big thing for this squad, especially leading up to this tournament, to be a very, very good team-mate whether you’re playing, coming on, not playing."

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Building a winning culture under Tuchel

With the Three Lions entering the tournament as one of the favourites, Henderson believes the atmosphere within the camp is the strongest it has been in years. The arrival of Tuchel as manager has seemingly unified the group further during their intensive pre-tournament preparations.

“It’s about creating that environment and creating the culture to keep driving each other forward and supporting each other in the right moments,” Henderson said. “I feel as though we’ve done that really well since the manager’s come. It’s grown and got stronger. I’m pretty happy with the place we’re in at the minute, especially after the pre-camp. I think the lads have been excellent over the last two weeks and we’re just looking forward to getting going.”