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Thomas Tuchel has sparked widespread debate after recalling Jordan Henderson to the England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, despite the midfielder’s challenging few seasons since departing Liverpool.

The 34-year-old’s inclusion in Tuchel’s first squad as England manager has certainly raised eyebrows across the footballing world.

Henderson’s recall is particularly surprising given his limited recent playing time at Ajax.

In Ajax’s last eight matches prior to his England call-up, Henderson had been on the pitch for just 158 minutes – approximately 22% of available playing time.

This lack of consistent action has been partly due to a hamstring injury, limiting him to only one start since early February.

Henderson was not even in the Ajax squad that suffered a 4-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League this week.

Public reaction to Henderson’s inclusion has been overwhelmingly negative?

Terms like “bizarre,” “regressive,” and “baffling” have been used to describe Tuchel’s decision.

However, speaking in a press conference after the squad announcement, the German manager revealed his reasoning:

“I truly believe that Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson have every chance to be with us at the World Cup,” Tuchel said.

“Football in general and maybe even more international football is about team spirit, it is about building a team that loves to play with each other, that transports the spirit to the fans, the nation and the country.

“It is about building a brotherhood so we cannot only do it with young players and we cannot only do with experienced players.”

He added:

“It has to be a good balance and a good mix in my opinion and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

“Without doubt, players like Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson bring something to a group from leadership and devotion and being humble and from setting the standards and taking care about the respect in the group.”

Despite the widespread skepticism, Tuchel has stood firm in his decision, insisting that every player selected for his first squad must be considered a possible option for the 2026 World Cup, though he acknowledged much could change before the tournament in North America7.

For Henderson, this unexpected recall represents a significant opportunity to silence critics and demonstrate that he still has value at the international level.

The upcoming matches against Albania on March 21 and Latvia on March 24, both at Wembley Stadium, will provide the first evidence of whether Tuchel’s faith in the veteran midfielder is justified or misplaced.

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