Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is being torched for giving an interview in which he explains his move to Saudi Arabia.
Jordan Henderson, former Liverpool captain and England international, gave his first interview since his contentious departure to the Saudi Pro League, and the reaction from the soccer world has been harsh.
Whether it’s his explanation for leaving Liverpool — essentially, the manager, the legendary Jurgen Klopp, told him he’d be playing less —, his former alliance with the LGBTQ+ community that he’s left in shambles, or his claims that he didn’t make the move for the money, the 33-year-old’s comments are being torched on social media by soccer fans from all over the world.
Jordan Henderson's PR manager checking how the interview went pic.twitter.com/Dh7j0gU536
— Beav (@__Beav) September 5, 2023
Henderson when he realised Liverpool had already moved on from him. pic.twitter.com/M7EDbOKu9p
— Sam McGuire (@SamMcGuire90) September 5, 2023
According to Henderson, despite spending the offseason attempting to get in the best shape possible for the upcoming season, Klopp informed him that his role within the club will be reduced.
“I’m at the latter stage of my career and I want to be happy playing football. I want to play. I don’t want to be sitting on the bench and coming on for 10 minutes in games,” Henderson said.
This, however, didn’t sit well with Liverpool fans, as it was Klopp himself who put his weight behind giving Henderson a new contract with the club a few years ago despite the ownership’s desire not to.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is being torched for giving an interview in which he explains his move to Saudi Arabia.
Henderson insisted that the Saudis were aware of his convictions and had not told him to change them. While this may be true, it is the rules and culture of Saudi Arabia that prevent people from having their own beliefs/opinions/freedoms that are important.
Despite his move to the Saudi Pro League, England manager Gareth Southgate called up Henderson for the September international break, which began on Monday.
Fellow soccer giants such as Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Ngolo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Marcelo Brozovic, Ruben Nevers, and others have also made the contentious switch to the Saudi Pro League. None of them, however, publicly supported the LGBTQ+ community in the manner Henderson did.
