In an interview, Jordan Henderson denies moving to Saudi Arabia for the money – and “betraying” the LGBTQ+ community.
With his transfer to Saudi Arabia, Jordan Henderson has attracted a lot of criticism in recent weeks, which he had previously left unanswered. Now, in an interview with “The Athletic”, he explains why he moved to Al-Ettifaq as captain of Liverpool FC – and as a campaigner for the LGBTQ+ community in a country where its members are sometimes threatened with the death penalty.
After a conversation with Jürgen Klopp, he knew “I wouldn’t be playing that much anymore,” Henderson says. “I am in the last phase of my career and I want to have fun playing football. I want to play. I don’t want to just sit on the bench and then play ten minutes. And I knew that would affect my chances of playing for England.”
But how then did he come to play in the Saudi Professional League, which has so far been of no international significance? “I would love to sit here and say that every club under the sun wanted me. But the truth is it wasn’t like that,” said Henderson, who played for Liverpool for 12 years. “It had to be something where I felt I could contribute and try something new, a new challenge. “
And he found all that at Al-Ettifaq with coach Steven Gerrard, “a completely different league and a completely different culture”, says the 33-year-old. He is excited by the project, to which he can contribute with his experience “in different areas”. “It’s nice to be wanted. I know Stevie really wanted me. I know the club really wanted me. “
The high salary, on the other hand, had played only a minor role. “You can believe me or not, but in my life and in my career, money has never been a motivation. Never,” Henderson asserts. “Don’t get me wrong, when you switch, the business has to be right. You have to be financially secure, you have to feel wanted, you have to feel valued. And money is part of that. But that wasn’t the only reason. “
£700,000 a week? “I wish it were so “
He had never spoken about money with Gerrard, who apparently convinced him to make the switch early on. “All I talked about with Stevie was football and the project. And he even said he didn’t want to get involved in money matters. It was just about what we can do together to achieve something special, build a club and strengthen the league.” And the £700,000 (€816,000) he reportedly earns a week? “I wish it was,” laughs Henderson. “No, the figures just aren’t true. “
Nevertheless, it wasn’t just Thomas Hitzlsperger who was left with the impression that here was a player selling his values for a lot of money. “I can understand the frustration. I can understand the anger,” Henderson countered. “All I can say about that is I’m sorry they feel that way. It was never my intention to hurt anyone.” But if he hadn’t switched, he feels that all you can do is continue to “bury your head in the sand and criticise other cultures and countries from afar”, “but then nothing will happen. Nothing will change.” He said that while he could not promise that he would succeed in instigating improvements, his values and convictions still apply. “I strongly believe that playing in Saudi Arabia is something positive.”
He said he has not received any “you can do this, you can’t do that” announcements from the club, nor does he receive payments for social media posts that put Saudi Arabia in a positive light. But would he also wear the rainbow captain’s armband that Al-Ettifaq had blatantly obscured in an audition video? “I wouldn’t rule it out,” Henderson says. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t disrespect the religion and culture in Saudi Arabia. If we all say that everyone can be who they want to be and that everyone belongs, then we have to respect that. We have to respect everybody. And if I don’t respect religion with that, then I won’t do that either. “