Perhaps Thomas Tuchel was looking for adulthood and experience when he handed Jordan Henderson a shock England in his first team as three Lions boss.
That is the same Ajax captain Henderson who missed the Nights Europa League on Thursday by Eintracht Frankfurt through the suspension after he told a referee to have “F *** off”.
Or perhaps it was Henderson's dedication to the case of England that inspired Tuchel.
That is the same Henderson who seemed to give up his country by moving a shock to the Saudi club Al Ettifaq when leaving Liverpool in 2023, the money instead of going into Elite Football.
The fact that Saudi experiment took only six months for Henderson to go to Amsterdam – where he was often criticized in the Dutch media for a salary that has not been matched by performance levels.
Henderson is 34 and will be 36 by the time of next year's World Cup in the United States, so this is hardly one for the future of Tuchel – which is probably only in the post as England -Baas until next summer.
The new boss has shown thinking in the short term by selecting Henderson, as well as the 34-year-old right back Kyle Walker-in loan in AC Milan from Manchester City, where his form fell from a cliff earlier this season.
Even then Burn, one of the two non -covered players in Tuchel's team for the World Cup qualifications against Albania and Latvia, is 32.
But the admission of Henderson in a 26-man team is perhaps the most surprising of the party.
Henderson won 81 caps, the last of which against Malta came in November 2023, when Gareth Southgate was surprisingly surprised, despite that controversial move to Saudi.
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He was not involved with England in 2024 and missed the euros from last summer, together with Marcus Rashford – another surprise of Tuchel.
The former Liverpool skipper has benefited from an injury to Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United to earn his call-up.
But the admission of Henderson is the proof that Tuchel will rely on experience instead of young people in his short -term mission to try to win England a second world cup.
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