Henderson: England´s Euros heartbreak will spur us on to bigger things

Jordan Henderson suffered the lowest point of his career in an England shirt after the Euro 2016 loss to Iceland, but he believes the side is destined for great things under Gareth Southgate.

A last-16 loss to the supposed minnows in France spelled the end of Roy Hodgson’s tenure and left the national side at a low ebb after another major-tournament failure.

Liverpool midfielder Henderson did not feature in that game, having gone to the tournament still recovering from a knee injury, and he regrets not having been able to play his part in a 2-1 reverse in Nice.

“I felt like I could have done more. I knew I could have done more,” he told The Players’ Tribune.

“The changing room after that match was the lowest point I’ve ever had in my footballing career. It was emotional. We were all really down and, to be honest, in shock. It was dead silent at first.

“The manager and Wayne [Rooney] both said a few words, but for the most part you could hear a pin drop.

“That wasn’t disappointment. It was heartbreak.”    

With that chastening experience behind him, Henderson is confident the future is much brighter for England, who face Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday. 

“We believe this squad can be different. We’re a good squad. We can achieve great things,” he said. “This group has been together a while, been to a major tournament, and can move forward.

“We’re a tight-knit group with strong friendships, regardless of clubs, and now it’s down to us.

“We’ve got to do our talking on the pitch. That’s all we need to focus on.”