Jordan Henderson, the former Liverpool Captain has endured a turbulent start to life in Saudi Arabia to link up with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.
The 33-year-old along with Fabinho left Liverpool to go to the Middle East. However, he has had a tough life since moving to Saudi, both on and off the field.
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Henderson had vocally advocated for LGBTQ+ rights during his time at Anfield. Moreover, he even put on the ‘Pride Armband’ during pride months in the PL.
However, homosexuality remains a crime in Saudi Arabia and is technically punishable by the death penalty.
And hence, he was heavily criticized after his move to Saudi was confirmed with many homosexual fans feeling betrayed.
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“Once again, our existence and the concept of ‘allyship’ towards us is feeble in comparison to a vast paycheck. The ability to say the right words when they are easy and abandon them when money talks or times get tough is exactly why the term ‘ally’ is outdated and ineffective.”
Three Lions Pride, a fan group for LGBTQ+ England supporters, said in a statement at the time.
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It was also revealed that some fans were planning to protest against Henderson. They wanted to turn their backs during England’s match against Ukraine last month.
Even though Henderson has continued to be a regular for England, he seems to have alienated a section of the fanbase due to his move to Saudi.
Moreover, the former Liverpool midfielder has also faced media criticism. He joined many of his fellow Saudi stars in promoting the country’s bid to host the World Cup in 2034. He endorsed the plans in a short video clip last week, saying:
“Very excited about the announcement, go Saudi Arabia 2034!”
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However, Liverpool seems to have moved on from Henderson’s exit pretty soon. They were seen removing a picture of him lifting the Premier League trophy from their training ground.
Moreover, the Anfield club has enjoyed a stellar run of form in his absence. Jurgen Klopp’s side have won 5 and lost only one in their eight league games so far this season.
Meanwhile, Al-Ettifaq remains in the mid-table position in the Saudi Pro League, despite signing Henderson this summer. They are currently in 7th place with a 6-point gap to the league leaders.
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Also, as per The Sun, many of the newest stars who arrived in the SPL are hating every minute in the country and regret moving there.
But there is no guarantee that Henderson is one of the players in question. Yet, one could assume he had a better life at Liverpool than in Saudi.
Henderson has made a decent start on a personal level with four assists in eight games. However, he has yet to score and has been playing in front of tiny crowds as compared to those in the PL.
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Henderson remains tied down to Al-Ettifaq until the summer of 2026 after signing a three-year deal upon his arrival.
This means that he is likely to be at the club for a long haul. It now remains to be seen how the situation will develop over the coming months.
I’m a football enthusiast and an avid writer and someone who lives by the Bill Shankly quote, on a day to day basis.
