Henderson breaks wrist in freak celebration fall but refuses to rule out World Cup return

Jordan Henderson has undergone surgery on a broken wrist sustained in the aftermath of England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Monday, but the 36-year-old Brentford midfielder has refused to rule out a return before the World Cup is over.

Henderson fractured his wrist while attempting to vault an advertising hoarding during the post-match celebrations. He slipped on the landing and came down with his arm planted, turning a moment of jubilation into a significant injury concern for Thomas Tuchel’s squad.

Speaking to ITV ahead of England’s quarter-final against Norway in Miami, Henderson gave a measured assessment of his situation. “It’s alright, thanks. Not my finest hour I know,” he said. “Main job was to go there and win, progress — that’s the main thing. A tough couple of days. Soon as I came back to camp to see the lads, we’ve got a great medical team. The doctors and surgeons in Kansas were amazing. Grateful for that, delighted to be here today.”

His World Cup is widely considered to be over, but when asked directly whether he could feature if England progress past Norway and into the semi-finals, Henderson smiled and said: “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.”

On the challenge of facing Norway — and specifically Erling Haaland — Henderson was characteristically measured. “It is a challenge. He’s one of the best in the world, but they’ve got top, top players. For us, we have to concentrate, do our job and get through to the semi.”

Henderson also pointed to the resilience England showed against Mexico as the template for what lies ahead. “Same thing we showed in the last game — the resilience and character, the obstacles that we overcome. We have to do the same again. It’s a tough test for us. If we’re the best version of ourselves, I’m confident we’ll get through.”