NOBODY expected Jordan Henderson’s name to be listed in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad as England manager. Even the midfielder himself surely believed his days of playing for the Three Lions were behind him. Yet Henderson is back in the national team fold just over a year from the 2026 World Cup.

Henderson will turn 36 during next summer’s tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. He is firmly into the twilight of his career and is currently playing in the Netherlands for Ajax following a stint in Saudi Arabia. There’s nothing to suggest the former Liverpool captain is still capable of making a difference at the elite level.

Tuchel’s decision to call up Henderson has already put him on the back foot as England manager. It made a statement about the type of football the German wants to play in his new job, suggesting the Three Lions won’t leave behind the stodgy, conservative approach that caused many fans to lament Gareth Southgate.

“The way he plays now and imposes himself at Ajax is just so impressive, and he builds it on character, on personality, on energy that he brings to the team,” explained Tuchel when asked about his surprising decision to include Henderson for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. 

“So for me Jordan is a bit a similar call-up for the same reasons as Dan Burn – they carry these values on their shoulders, they carry their teams and it’s absolutely reliable what they bring in terms of energy, and this is where the focus is also for us; to build as quick as possible a strong team, a cohesive team. Jordan is a big piece in that puzzle for us.”

As a leader, Henderson might have some value in the dressing room. However, England already have leaders in the shape of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice. What they need is a group of players that can impact games at the highest level against the strongest opponents. Henderson doesn’t belong in that.

 

Of course, Tuchel’s job as England manager is a short-term one. His contract only runs until the end of the 2026 World Cup with the German very clear in his aim of winning the tournament and ending the Three Lions’ long wait for major tournament glory. Anything less than winning the World Cup will be viewed as a failure. 

The immediacy of his task will shape the look and approach of Tuchel’s England. This perhaps explains why the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss has turned to Henderson in the hope that the midfielder can give his team some authority and presence in the centre of the pitch. Tuchel doesn’t have to worry about the state of the national team after 2026.

Nonetheless, there is a sense Tuchel has overlooked players who would improve England in the present and the future. Morgan Gibbs-White was eventually called up following an injury to Cole Palmer, but it was somewhat farcical that the Nottingham Forest midfielder wasn’t part of the original squad.

Adam Wharton has been in strong form for a resurgent Crystal Palace team recently while Angel Gomes caught the eye during Lee Carsley’s time as interim manager. Notably, none of the young players given a debut by Carsley as England boss were included in Tuchel’s group of 26 players. That says something.

Tuchel is an experienced operator who has proved himself at the top of the sport. This is why England hired him and there’s every chance the German will forge the Three Lions into a side that can go all the way at the 2026 World Cup. But for those hoping for a sign of something different, the early signs are that the new boss is the same as the old one.

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