Henderson Backs 48-Cap Bellingham as England Weighs No 10 Role Before Croatia

Q: What is the 'untrue' story inside England's camp that forced a veteran to publicly defend its biggest star?

The “untrue” story was the wider media narrative that Jude Bellingham had become a problem figure for England — portrayed as arrogant, divisive, or somehow disruptive inside the camp. Jordan Henderson’s intervention was aimed at knocking that down. He said much of what had been written was “actually untrue” and stressed that Bellingham is valued and liked within the squad. Henderson’s evidence was not just about Bellingham’s talent, but his behavior behind the scenes: he described him as a positive influence on younger players and pointed to moments such as Bellingham presenting Rio Ngumoha with his legacy cap after his debut. That matters because Bellingham has been under heavy scrutiny since Euro 2024, when he said he felt like a “scapegoat,” and because his confidence has often been recast publicly as arrogance. Former Birmingham teammate David Davis has made the same point, saying Bellingham’s self-belief is being misread. There has also been outside noise about his relationship with Thomas Tuchel and even whether he was guaranteed a starting place, but Henderson’s comments were broader than a selection debate. He was rebutting the idea that Bellingham is a negative presence in the England setup. His message was clear: inside the camp, Bellingham is seen not as a problem, but as England’s “X-factor.”

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 15

Jordan Henderson said criticism of Jude Bellingham is "hard to read" and called the 22-year-old England's World Cup "X-factor" before Wednesday's opener against Croatia.
The debate has intensified over whether Thomas Tuchel starts Bellingham or Morgan Rogers at No 10, with Bellingham recently saying he had been made a "scapegoat" in camp.
Henderson, 35, said Bellingham's influence goes beyond performances, describing him as a big-game player and a key dressing-room figure despite his age.
Bellingham already has 48 England caps and is set for his third major tournament, with Henderson citing his support for younger players such as 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha as evidence of his value.