KANSAS CITY, United States: Jude Bellingham can be England´s “X factor” at the World Cup as Thomas Tuchel´s men chase a first major trophy for 60 years, Jordan Henderson said on Sunday.
England are among the favourites for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after a string of near-misses at recent European Championships and World Cups. Henderson, speaking at England´s Kansas City base, tipped fellow midfielder Bellingham, 22, to have a “big impact” over the next few weeks despite an injury-hit season.
The former Liverpool captain said the Real Madrid star had made huge progress since his international debut as a 17-year-old in 2020. “How much he´s grown as a player and as a person since then is incredible, really,” said Henderson.
“I had a good idea when I first saw him playing and training and the way he was. But what he´s done so far at such a young age, I think everybody forgets how young he is, even me really sometimes.”
The Brentford player added: “I honestly couldn´t speak highly enough of him. I know a lot gets written in the media. I find it hard to read sometimes, really, because I just know how big an influence he is on this team, how good a teammate he is off the field.
“And what he gives us is just something really special, really. I think he really gives us the X factor in our team. “He´s had big moments in his career. He´s a big-game player. He´s got experience in tournaments. So he´s a huge, huge player for us in this tournament.”
Henderson, speaking a day after England arrived at their World Cup base in the Midwest, also spoke highly of Tuchel. The German, who has managed a string of top clubs including Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, took charge at the beginning of last year with a brief to win England´s first World Cup since 1966.
