Jordan Henderson defends 'very special' England star snubbed by Thomas Tuchel

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Jordan Henderson has publicly defended Jude Bellingham, an "exceptional" England player who was recently left out of the national squad by Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel. Despite Bellingham’s absence from the latest England team selections for matches against Wales and Latvia, Henderson emphasized Bellingham’s importance and unique talent, calling him a "world-class player and person." Henderson, who acts as a mentor to Bellingham, stressed that the midfielder significantly improves the England squad whenever he plays.

Henderson acknowledged Bellingham’s ongoing recovery from a shoulder injury and underlined the importance of the player regaining full fitness and match rhythm before returning to international duty. He recalled Bellingham's impact during Euro 2024, where the player scored a notable last-minute overhead kick against Slovakia despite his injury struggles.

Tuchel's decision to exclude Bellingham from the squad was part of a strategy to keep the team that dominated Serbia 5-0, a move that also saw other in-form players like Phil Foden and Jack Grealish omitted. Henderson suggested it is unfair to judge players solely by their demeanor on the pitch, noting that Bellingham, who can appear stroppy during games, is actually relaxed and composed off the field.

Overall, Henderson highlighted the special nature of Bellingham’s talent and personality, underlining that such players are rare and vital to England’s success moving forward.