‘Proper England fans don’t boo players’ says Maguire as he defends Henderson

Harry Maguire has accused supporters who have been booing Jordan Henderson of not being ‘proper England fans’.

Henderson was booed off the Wembley pitch during Friday’s 1-0 friendly win over Australia while there were also a few jeers as he came on during the Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy. Some fans remain unhappy by Henderson’s decision to trade his role as Liverpool skipper for the Saudi Pro League, joining Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in a £12million deal.

The midfielder was a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights during his time at Anfield and last month apologised for any hurt he caused by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal. Maguire, who himself has been targeted by jeers while playing for his country in the past, said those who have turned on Henderson “aren’t England fans”.

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“Proper England fans don’t boo players,” he said. “Don’t boo players who dedicate their life to play and do everything they can to make this country have good memories and special moments for them and the fans and their families.

“I know a lot of top, top England fans and I know the England fans who have been with me ever since my debut. They’re right behind me and they’re right behind Jordan as well. You heard a lot of cheers and yes, a few jeers, but they aren’t England fans.”

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Henderson has admitted he has been disappointed by the reaction he has received, but insists he has no regrets over his Saudi switch.

“After the [Australia] game, I got told there was a little bit going on,” the 33-year-old told Channel 4 this week. “Of course it hurts because every time you pull on that shirt it’s a proud moment and I’m playing for my team-mates, for my country and for the fans.

“So of course it hurts but at the end of the day that’s part and parcel – I’ve had enough criticism over my career so far to be able to deal with stuff like that I’m not the first player to get booed and probably not the last.

“I asked that question [why he was booed after the Australia game] and a journalist said it was because I play in Saudi Arabia. It was a decision I made months ago now that doesn’t change who I am as a person.

“I did an interview a couple of months ago and maybe some of the stuff that came out didn’t come out in the way that I thought I said it. An example of that would be when I said I didn’t go out there solely for the money. I think that’s a big difference – it’s not a sole reason going out there for the money.”

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