NO HEND’ TO HIS AMBITIONS

JORDAN HENDERSON will never give up on his World Cup dream.

And he admits he wants to still be pulling on an England shirt in the twilight of his career — if his nation needs him.

Most people think if he makes it to Qatar 2022 this winter at the age of 32, it will be his last shot at football’s ultimate glory.

But the Liverpool captain is having none of it and admits he has sacrificed far too much in his life to ever consider calling time on his international career.

Henderson will be hoping to win his 70th cap when

England face Italy in the Nations League in Milan tomorrow night and stake his claim for a place on the plane to his third World Cup.

Henderson remains as patriotic as ever and said: “Every call-up is a massive honour and achievement. I always want to come here and be part of the set-up as long as possible. I’m just delighted.

“As a kid, my biggest dream was to play for England. That will never change and I want to do it as long as possible.

“I look at some players still playing internationals at 36 and 37. So, it just depends on how you feel physically. I feel very good.

“I think last season I played more games than anyone else in Europe. So, physically, it’s not an issue.

Excited

“I’m always excited about being called up. I want to be here and I want to show I can help the team become successful. Until that changes, there’s no reason to even think about that (packing it in).”

Henderson, who has recovered from a hamstring problem which ruled him out of the previous three weeks of the season, puts his longevity and fitness down to a life without alcohol.

He said: “Physically, I feel like I’m in such a good spot. It’s a reflection of how seriously I take the game off the pitch as well.

“I’ve never drank since I was a kid and always eaten the right things. It was always just football, football, football for me.”

Henderson wasn’t part of the shambolic performances in June when England went four games without a win.

But he reckons it could turn into a positive and added: “I think as a team we will have learned quite a lot from it, which could be a good thing.”