England vs Czech Republic: For Jordan Henderson, the fight to prove his worth never ends

Even now, at the peak of his career, there is no letting up for Henderson - but the England and Liverpool midfielder wouldn't have it any other way

Jordan Henderson has spent his whole career proving people wrong and he is not going to stop now. Even though he is the captain of the team on top of the Premier League. Even though he is the most experienced player in this England squad and, at 28, one of the oldest. Even though he was integral to reaching a Champions League final with his club and a World Cup semi-final with his country last year.

For Henderson, even now, at the peak of his career, there is no letting up. Ever since he broke through at Sunderland as a boy he has had to show over and over again that he is good enough. When he arrived at Liverpool he was doubted for years until he persuaded every doubter, one by one. It has instilled Henderson’s mentality that he must never get comfortable, never stop fighting, even when some players might be tempted to relax and enjoy the view.

So does Henderson now consider himself an automatic starter? “I have never thought that,” Henderson said, speaking at St George’s Park on Tuesday afternoon. “I have always wanted to fight no matter what position I am in. And whether that is Liverpool or England, I need to do more, and I need to do better. Because you have younger players, or players get signed for the club who push you and want to take your place and you have to be better them.”

That is the reality at Liverpool, who added Naby Keita to their midfield for this season, a new challenge to Henderson, and also for England. Gareth Southgate has promoted Jesse Lingard, Harry Winks and now Declan Rice into midfield, meaning that the challenges to Henderson’s position will not stop. But he does not mind that. It allows him to fight for himself.

“I always feel like that,” Henderson said. “My whole career I have always wanted to show how good I am and I have always wanted to improve. When you play for Liverpool and England, you have good players around you and you want to compete with the best. I have to keep being consistent, keep improving on my games and using my experience as well.”

As frustrating as last year was, getting so close to two of the biggest trophies in the game, Henderson is now trying to use that motivation to push him on. To remind him of how close he was and what he has to do to get back there, and go one better. “I think it always stays with you, those moments,” he says. “It gives you even more motivation to then keep going, keep wanting to be in that position again to make it right, and go that final step. It’s definitely an extra motivation that I use. I had a little taste of it playing in finals but I haven’t really managed to win the big trophies, and now that’s the next step really.”

And Henderson is back in the mix for the Premier League and Champions League, vying for both of them with his great friend Raheem Sterling, once of Liverpool, now of City. And as much as he wants to beat Sterling to those big trophies, all of that is out of the window for now. “I’m good friends with Raheem,” Henderson said. “I played with him at Liverpool and speak with him regularly. We’re going to have a bit of banter, but your focus has got to change. We’re teammates, and what’s important to us now is the next two England games. In the past it might have been a little bit different but I feel this group of players now is very together.”