‘To finally get over the line, it is an amazing feeling’: Glory for Jordan Henderson at last as captain inspires Liverpool to European triumph
- Jordan Henderson finally tasted silverware as Liverpool captain on Saturday
- He called a team meeting in the run-up to prevent a repeat of last year
- At full-time in Madrid he was emotionally drained and collapsed to the turf
- Henderson’s influence has been huge and he called the win an ‘amazing feeling’
Jordan Henderson laid the foundations for Liverpool’s Champions League success when he called a players-only meeting last Wednesday.
The Liverpool captain called the group into a dressing room after training had finished and urged his team-mates to remember the pain of losing to Real Madrid 12 months ago to ensure they did not have to go through a similar ordeal against Tottenham.
Henderson’s influence on this campaign has been huge. He was emotionally drained at the final whistle, collapsing to the floor before running over to find his father, Brian, who has recovered from throat cancer. He cried in his father’s arms.
Jordan Henderson finally tasted silverware success as captain of Liverpool on Saturday night
He called a team meeting earlier in the week to ensure a repeat of last year was avoided
At full time Henderson hugged his father Brian, who has recovered from throat cancer
Referring to the two European finals Liverpool have lost on Jurgen Klopp’s watch, Henderson said: ‘I think we would have regretted it if we didn’t talk about our experiences. I felt it was important to speak as a group before the final, it was an important conversation. A few of us said a few things. Hopefully it helped.
‘I just said things about the game really, what we could experience against Tottenham and how we could deal with those situations. We could then put the experiences we have been through in the past to good use.’
It is eight years since Liverpool signed Henderson from Sunderland for £20million.
He is the club’s longest-serving player and has experienced so many near-misses — twice in the Premier League, a Europa League final and a Champions League. He knew Liverpool had to make this count,
‘We have come a long way as a team and we have had so many knock-backs and to finally get over the line it is an amazing feeling,’ said Henderson. ‘It is that we will remember for ever. It’s so special.’
Henderson collapsed to the ground at full time as he was emotionally drained from the season
The trophy was Liverpool’s first under Jurgen Klopp and Henderson called it ‘so special’
