Jordan Henderson: The Autobiography: The must-read autobiography from Liverpool’s beloved captain

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More importantly, it's also a lesson in perseverance, hard work, self-belief, leading by example and always trying to do the right thing. Even the insight on Liverpool were pretty basic - there were elements of discussion about how views on his teammates but no real depth to them. On the morning of England’s first major men’s championship final in 55 years, it might feel a little strange to be reading a paean to a player who may not even play. Henderson has started all six of England’s Euro 2020 games on the bench, played a grand total of 106 minutes and, apart from the fourth goal in the win over Ukraine, hasn’t really made a telling contribution. And yet in another sense he has been the key to it all. To grasp the importance of Henderson is to grasp the very point of this England side: a team of 26 men with a single consciousness, one that has set aside ego and reputation and pride and hierarchy, and emerged stronger as a result.

The book reflects Jordan’s personality 100%, and you can tell that he has definitely had a big input in writing it. This is not an autobiography in which the subject blows his own trumpet for the entire book, Jordan mentions many many people who have been influential in his life and career. It is easy to forget too that Henderson and his career was in its relative infancy when he arrived at Anfield from Sunderland in 2011 and the task of making his mark and forcing his way into a Reds side looking to recreate Liverpool’s glory days would have daunted many. Henderson not only battled it out, but he turned around perceptions and then stepped up to fill perhaps the biggest void in recent Liverpool history when the iconic Steven Gerrard left. Henderson’s autobiography is testament to his determination, his endeavour and his responsibility. There’s also an incredible maturity, a willingness to accept his flaws and crucially work at them and to understand the importance of the team and to play his part. Jordan Henderson is mobbed after scoring England’s fourth against Ukraine. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli/ReutersCaptain, father, leader, a fearless ambassador for the causes he believes in and a world-class midfielder, Jordan Henderson is all of these things - and it is why he is one of the most widely respected players of his generation. His story will go down in legend but his story also carries an inspirational message for anyone, showing hurdles and barriers won't stop you reaching your goals. It was a rather bittersweet read after starting this when Hendo was still at Liverpool. I finished it after he left.

A brilliantly told story with a uniquely vivid sense of what it is like on the pitch in matches of extreme importance . . . The perfect book for all football fans, not just Liverpool supporters Daily Mail, 'SPORTS BOOKS OF THE YEAR' There were times when I found the book a little preachy. Jordan Henderson has lived and played through the most extraordinary and interesting times in British football but I have not come away from this feeling like my eyes have been opened or that I have been subject to any great revelations.In Jordan Henderson: The Autobiography he talks about his journey from growing up in Sunderland – with football his all-consuming passion as a kid – to becoming one of Liverpool’s most decorated captains. In June 2015, Jordan took the reins from Steven Gerrard. Under his captaincy, Liverpool have won six trophies headed by the Champions League and the Premier League, bringing the club its first league title in 30 years. In this book, Jordan charts his decade-long journey with the Reds - he is one of only five men to play ten season for the club in the modern era - as well as his incredible experiences within the England squad. He is the only player in history to have been named England Player of the Year at both under-21 and senior level. Finished Jordan Henderson's autobiography over the weekend and it's a great read for all LFC fans - a must read in fact. Born in Sunderland, Jordan Henderson began his football career there before moving to Liverpool in 2011. After a challenging start at Anfield, Jordan eventually established himself as a talismanic play-making midfielder. In 2015, Jordan took the reins from Steven Gerrard, and under his captaincy Liverpool have won the Champions League and the Premier League - bringing the club its first league title in 30 years. Perhaps the main reason this England team have so captured the imagination of the country at large is not their feats on the pitch but the sense that on some level these young men represent the best of us: honest, selfless, tireless, compassionate, moral. Before this country’s biggest football game in half a century, there is perhaps no greater tribute to this England side than the idea that one of their most important players isn’t even playing for them.

Southgate referred to the “tribal elders” in the squad before the Denmark game, but he wasn’t simply talking about seniority or experience or leadership by exemplar. He was talking about relationships: the short conversations and private words of encouragement, the acts of personal sacrifice and moral fibre that subconsciously set the standards for the whole group. He was talking about the players who define the cultural and behavioural norms that junior members of the group instinctively follow. I started supporting this club right before he arrived. He has been a constant, and from the start, I knew he was a perfect fit to the club. He worked hard, he understood the club. Jordan Henderson: The Autobiography is out now and available to buy at our online store and in official club stores. It follows a format and doesn’t really deviate. Is a solid collection of facts but not enough emotion for me. A brilliantly told story with a uniquely vivid sense of what it is like on the pitch in matches of extreme importance . . . The perfect book for all football fans' DAILY MAIL 'SPORTS BOOKS OF THE YEAR'

This is where the priests come in. Henderson is the second-oldest member of the squad after Kyle Walker, the second-most capped after Sterling. He is the only one to have won both the Premier League and Champions League. And so to see him sit humbly and uncomplainingly on the bench, behind two midfielders from West Ham and Leeds, offers the sort of immensely powerful motif that no other member of Southgate’s party – least of all Southgate himself – could provide.

He may not be the best footballer in the world, and certainly a fair amount of fair and unfair criticism has been aimed at him, but you only have to look at what he and the team, with Jürgen and his coaching staff at the helm, have won throughout the years - even winning the club's first Premier League title in 30 years in 2020. In this, his first autobiography, Jordan reveals how an early love for the game as a kid became an all-consuming passion growing up in Sunderland and the moments and role models that encouraged him to follow his dream to play for his home club. Transferred to Liverpool in June 2011, Jordan’s early years at the club saw him struggle to settle under Sir Kenny Dalglish then Brendan Rodgers before eventually establishing himself at Anfield as a force of nature in midfield.Perhaps the most interesting part was Henderson recalling his Dad’s battle with cancer but insights into his personal life were few and far between. An autobiography full of real insight into the life of a top-flight footballer, Henderson’s story also carries an inspirational message for anyone facing hurdles and barriers, that they will not stop you reaching your goals. There is much to enjoy in the book about life at Liverpool, the early days of Klopp’s reign, struggles with injury, memorable nights (for different reasons) in Kyiv and Madrid and that compelling first Premier League title in thirty years, but what defines Henderson are his values and his ethos. He speaks eloquently and honestly on everything from the pressures of social media and the challenges of criticism to racism, the failed Super League and the privileges of being a footballer. His words carry weight, as do his actions, and on and off the pitch he epitomises what it means to be a captain, what it means to be a leader, what it means to be a role model. With him, Liverpool have experienced one of their most successful periods in history – a coincidence, I think not. Without him, this would have been a very different story.