PRAISE Unsung and often underrated, midfield engine Henderson can extend his amazing unbeaten run with Three Lions to 31 games tonight and help England into the World Cup Final

A CAPTAIN in a Champions League final, a player who has not experienced defeat with his country for 30 matches, the pumped-up midfield leader of an England team about to play its first World Cup semi-final in 28 years.

Maybe now, the entire nation has finally been won over by Jordan Henderson.

Gareth Southgate was won over a long, long time ago. Henderson has always been fundamental to his plans and, against the potency of Croatia’s midfield, that will never be clearer.

Harry Kane (inset) has worn the armband with great distinction but t h e re h a s b e e n n o o n e more demanding, more vocal, more inspiring in his h commitment to the c cause, than the Liverpool skipper.

There was a moment in the quarter-final when he chased down th threat ening Swedes, h hoofed f the ball away from danger and reacted with double-fisted elation, as though he had just scored a last-minute winner.

Henderson led the rallying calls when Colombia took the first knockout game to extra-time.

He is far from unique in this, but it is clear Henderson (below) ow) feels a special bond with th this group of players.

As he sat alongside de his coach on the eve of

English football’s most ost important match in i n nearly three decades, ,

Henderson’s evocation n of this squad’s spirit t sounded searingly ly genuine.

He said: “The biggest st thing the gaffer’s brought ht has been identity. The e way we wanted to play as a team. We were all on the same page straight away.

“That was the biggest thing... having g an identity, getting to o know each other even en closer than previously.

“That togetherness s is clear now and is vital in n big games. This is the most together England team m I’ve been involved in, so o that makes a massive difference. rence.

“You get your rewards ards for that. We’re in the semi-finals -finals of a World Cup.”

And they will be in n the final if Henderson’s run without an England loss, s stretching back f four years, c continues. He smiles: “To be ho honest, I wouldn’t loo look too much into it bec because I don’t win on m my own. We win as a team. te Just as much as if I’d played and lost eve every match, it wou wouldn’t be my fault eith either.”

S Southgate, though, is happy to sing the ind individual praises of He Henderson.

The England c coach says: “Jordan’s a player who has been n underestimated for a long time. e. He is an outstanding person son with outstanding leadership ership qualities and has the total trust of his club manager.

“The he quality of his game has gone e on to another level this season. son. His positional understanding, erstanding, reading of dangers, gers, seeing pictures with the ball, forward passes early.

“He’s He’s playing at the top of his game e and should have huge c o n f i d e n c e . We’r e very fortunate unate to have him.”

For r all his qualities, it has to be remembered emembered Henderson came up short when Luka Modric ran the Champions League final for Real Madrid.

And he is fully aware of the threat that will be posed tonight. He says: “I’ve played against

Modric a few times, he’s a worldclass player, one of the best I’ve played against.”

And Henderson will be giving inside information about how to possibly expose his Anfield colleague Dejan Lovren.

He explains: “I’ ll speak to the forwards and tell them what I think, but Dejan is a fantastic defender.

“I’m pleased for him that he’s in a semi-final, but hopefully that journey for him ends now.”

England hopes Henderson’s journey goes on but, in a way, it has reached some sort of destination.

The one where he has finally won the hearts and minds of the country.