Jordan Henderson made his England debut way back in 2010, and now, the former Sunderland and Liverpool icon has been drafted back into the fold by Thomas Tuchel.
His career has come a long way since then, with Henderson leaving his boyhood club behind to star for a highly successful Liverpool side, as well as becoming an integral figure in Gareth Southgate’s England setup for years.
It’s incredible to see how different he is as a player and a person since his days at Sunderland, but Jordan Henderson wasn’t always the polished professional he is today.
While most Mackems will be keeping an eye on the Sunderland players on international duty over the next week or so, there will surely be some curiosity around Henderson’s big return to the England set up, too. One thing’s for sure, he will be hoping it’s a better time than his debut.
Jordan Henderson struggled on his England debut
Speaking to The Guardian back in 2010 after his first outing for the Three Lions — a friendly against a strong France side — and he admitted he didn’t really get to grips with the game, but promised to come back better in the future.
He said: “It’s a little bit difficult compared to what I’m used to. It’s my first cap but I’ll learn a lot from the game and I’ll keep pushing on and doing well and get another chance.
“I think I can do a bit better going forward and influencing the game. I’ve taken a lot out of the game and [learned from] the top-class players that are in France’s team.”
Henderson had spoken before the game about his feelings on the occasion and what he hoped to achieve long-term with his country.
“It was a really good feeling,” he said. “I couldn’t wait to get out there and just play, really. It’s a massive achievement but I don’t just want one cap. I want to keep building on it and hopefully I can do that.”
Henderson goes into this week’s England fixtures with 81 caps already to his name. It’s safe to say he recovered from that shaky start.
Does Jordan Henderson really deserve to be back in the England squad?
It’s a bit of a controversial call from Tuchel to bring Henderson back in from the cold. But, there is a school of thought that his experience and leadership could well make a big difference when ushering in this new era for England.
Henderson had seemingly burned his bridges when he moved to Saudi Arabia, but a return to Europe with Ajax has helped him get his career back on track.
Only time will tell just how influential Henderson will be in this new Three Lions setup, but there will likely be a few Sunderland fans who are very proud to see a local boy back in the mix.
Sunderland has a knack for producing talent, and Henderson is a prime example of just how far those players can go.
Still, a lot of Black Cats fans will be hoping there’s another dramatic return on the cards for Henderson in the future, this time with a trip back to Wearside for one last dance with Sunderland.