Jordan Pickford on Jordan Henderson’s return to England squad: ‘He’s a winner and a big leader’ | OneFootball

Jordan Pickford believes Jordan Henderson’s recall to the England squad will only be a good thing for the Three Lions.

Henderson returns to the national team fold for the first time since he was dropped by former Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate ahead of last year’s European Championships.

The 34-year-old’s inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad caught many off guard, with the former Liverpool captain coming off the back of a disappointing spell with Ajax, yielding only two starts in his last nine matches.

When asked about Henderson’s return, Pickford was adamant the midfielder will only help improve the squad further ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

“We have got Hendo with how many caps he has got,” Pickford said. “He has got that winning mentality, what he has won at Liverpool as a player and a captain. To have those leaders around the place, the more leaders you have in the team I think the more success they will bring.

“They will drive training standards, they will drive standards around the place and make it a better camp for everybody. I think having Hendo and Dan Burn will be great and will be better for everybody else as well.

“I’ve known him since the Sunderland days. His desire to want to win and what he has won and achieved is driven by himself. He’s a winner and a big leader. I think bringing Hendo back in is great for the squad.

“He was vice captain for numerous years, he didn’t come to the last Euros but he was vice captain in 2018 to Harry. I think someone like Hendo, it’s great. Having leaders in your group, the teams that have won have always had that experience in the side as well.

“I think it’s a great move for us to have someone like him in the squad. What he has done, how he is still driven whether he plays or not he is going to be the leader on the training pitch.”