Henderson âembodies everythingâ Tuchel wants to build
âHenderson embodies everything we wantâ â Tuchel
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Published
Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson has been recalled to the England side because he âembodies everything we try to buildâ, says new manager Thomas Tuchel.
The German named Henderson in his first England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia on Friday, 21 and Monday, 24 March respectively (both 19:45 GMT kick-offs).
Henderson, 34, has won 81 caps but last featured for the Three Lions in November 2023.
âJordan is a serial winner,â Tuchel said.
âHeâs captain of Ajax. What he brings to every team is leadership, character, energy and personality.
âHe makes sure everyone lives by the standards. He embodies everything we try to build. We want to build a team our fans are proud of.â
Tuchel, speaking at a news conference after announcing his 26-man squad, was asked about Hendersonâs reaction when he rang the former Liverpool player and said âHi, itâs Thomas Tuchelâ.
âHi, Iâm Jordan,â was Tuchelâs response.
The England coach added: âWe had this phone call a few weeks ago where I wanted to check in, introduce myself and see how he feels about this idea and if he was ready. It was a video call because at least you can see reactions.
âHe appreciated it. I didnât call him with an unknown number, I texted him before. For me, it was so nice to see his genuine reaction. He is a serial winner with over 80 caps and just the pure joy and how humble he was to take this decision. It was very impressive.â