Jordan Henderson has become the first player to appear in four World Cups for England, but his focus remains on knockout glory.
Jordan Henderson made his name in English football history by becoming the first player to appear in four World Cups, but his sights are set firmly on glory in the knockout stages. The 36-year-old midfielder achieved this milestone as a substitute in the 2-0 win against Panama, a victory which confirmed England as Group L winners and set the stage for a last-16 encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Henderson's journey to the World Cup began in 2014, a tournament in which Roy Hodgson's team made a group exit. Subsequently, he played a key role in the campaigns that led to the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter-finals four years later. His role in this tournament has evolved, but he is ready to do whatever it takes to help England end 60 years of disappointment. “Time passes very quickly,” he said. "It's very special to represent my country in four World Cups. I'm just happy to be part of this team and this is still as special as when I made my debut. Time flies, but I'm happy to be able to help the team as much as possible, both on and off the pitch, trying to give everything to make our dreams come true." England did what was necessary to emerge from a tricky group as winners, securing a more secure route to the later stages than if they had finished in second place. Henderson understands what is required in the knockout stages. “Knockout football is about staying calm in the moment, believing in what we have achieved so far to get here,” he said. "We've got an incredible group of players, it's been a good start to the group. Winning the group isn't easy, so first of all I think the boys deserve some credit for that. Now we're starting the decisive phase, the knockout football, it's only going to get harder from here on. We have to stay confident, follow what the manager wants us to do in the game plan and I think if we can execute that, we'll have a good chance of winning games." England will face DR Congo for the first time and, while they are ranked 41st in the world, they have picked up four points in their group, including a 1-1 draw with Portugal, in which Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa scored. Henderson said: "I saw that in the first match they got a good result against Portugal. Wissa scored, we know him well. It's a good team, with good players, very strong. In the knockout rounds, no match is easy."
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